AUSTIN, Texas—The Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) emanated from Indianapolis, Indiana, from June 16-19 as hospitality professionals from around the world explored technological innovation in the hospitality space. Nearly 6,000 attendees convened for the event, which was produced by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP).
The exhibition highlighted the latest hospitality technology solutions from 360+ companies, delivered an extensive education lineup centering on the impact of technology in the industry, and provided many networking opportunities with other industry professionals, executive decision-makers, and investors from over 60 countries.
Jeremy Gutsche, founder of TrendHunter.com, kicked off the event with the Opening Headliner presentation, which was immediately followed by the Welcome Reception at Lucas Oil Stadium. The next Headliner session was led by economist Todd Buchholz, a White House advisor and best-selling author. During this session, the 2025 International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame also welcomed two new inductees, Bruce Bensetler, founder and CEO of Data Plus, Inc., and entrepreneur Luis Segreo, co-founder of Hapi.
HITEC 2025 also included the tenth anniversary of the Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) pitch competition, where eight hospitality technology startups presented their various innovations. Levee ultimately won the E20X People’s Choice Award by popular vote among attendees, as well as the Judges’ Choice Award. Levee offers AI agents that automate data capture and task execution, replacing outdated checklists and manual processes. Additionally, HITEC’s show floor consolidated numerous industry solution providers and offered hospitality professionals, executives, and investors the opportunity to learn about a wide range of products.
First-time attendee Shobi Fasih said, “I was always on the fence (about attending HITEC), but I realized this. You could be a thinker or you could be a doer. When you’re a doer, you’re not going to regret it. If you’re trying to grow in our industry, being here at HITEC and networking, meeting new people, seeing different vendors, you’re really increasing your depth of knowledge. It’s going to help you grow, especially if you’re a young person trying to grow in this industry.”
Connor McCormack from exhibitor Yipy said, “There’s just a buzz in the air when you arrive at HITEC. It’s exciting seeing new friends, old faces, and electric is the only way to describe it.”
And Kaelyn Beckman from exhibitor Mews said, “In one word, HITEC is engaging. There have been a lot of engaging sessions that we’ve had the opportunity to both be a part of and attend. We’ve had engaging conversations with industry partners.”
