Indianapolis – The spirit of innovation was on full display at HITEC ’25, where D3x and Yipy were crowned winners of the Nextwave Seed Investment Challenge. The competition, co-hosted by Techne Infiniti Ventures: Where AI Meets Hospitality and Growth Advisors International Network (GAIN), spotlighted early-stage companies using artificial intelligence and focused innovation to drive hospitality transformation.
Selected from a diverse pool of industry nominated startups, D3x and Yipy earned top honors for their visionary solutions designed to advance operational efficiency, guest experience, and sustainability. Both impressed the judging panel, led by Techne Infiniti Ventures’ partners, not only with bold concepts but with clear, practical roadmaps for scaling and adoption. The panel also recognized hconnect.io with an honorable mention for its strong innovation potential.
D3x and Yipy truly reflect the mission of the Nextwave Seed Investment Challenge: fresh ideas, meaningful impact, and the power of AI to reimagine hospitality,
said Techne Infinite Ventures, Managing Director, Anjali Arora. These two startups will now complete their final due diligence, with the opportunity to officially join the Techne Infiniti Ventures portfolio, where both will benefit from strategic guidance and growth support provided by Techne and GAIN, helping them accelerate market entry and forge key industry partnerships.
The success of this year’s challenge underscores the hospitality sector’s growing appetite for AI-driven solutions capable of delivering measurable value across operations, guest engagement, and sustainability.
