Innovation

📱 Hotel Phone App, LLC, founded in March 2024, released 'HOTEL PHONE APP'™ for Apple and Google Play stores, enabling hotel phones on personal cell phones via QR code scanning. The app removes the need for traditional push button phones, cutting monthly costs per phone line, and includes PBX and VOIP technology dating from the 1930s-1970s. Subscription for hotels starts at $3 per room/month, compared to PBX/VOIP services costing $10-20 per line/month plus $5 in fees. The app is compliant with Emergency 911 laws and offers location services. Free trials are available for hotels before committing to yearly licenses.

🧳 Former Airbnb employees have launched over 140 startups, collectively raising over $11 billion. Most of these startups are in the US, with 35% in PropTech, followed by FinTech, Software, and other sectors. 80% of founders were former Airbnb engineers, and top startup incubators include Y Combinator and Andreessen Horowitz. Kevin Indig's data on AI chatbot traffic shows users stay 2.3 minutes longer and view more pages than Google search users, with Copilot and Perplexity traffic growing fastest at 15% and 22% page view growth, respectively. Accenture reports 71% of travelers prefer OTAs for convenience, while airlines could transform sales like retailers to compete. AI is also reshaping online travel, with AI-driven agents potentially reducing the need for traditional OTAs but requiring OTAs to adapt with AI-powered bidding for visibility.

💻 Cendyn, an integrated hotel technology company, acquired Knowland in October 2024 and has now expanded its business intelligence solutions with AI for smarter data and commercial insights. The expansion includes AI integration into its CRM and Knowland platform, now offering AI search capabilities. This comes with Knowland's return to the European market, starting with London, aiming to drive revenue in the MICE sector. The enhanced tools are designed to save time, provide actionable insights without manual spreadsheets, and increase direct bookings and revenue.

💻 Shiji, a hospitality technology firm, announced a full rebrand to unify its product suite. CEO Kevin King revealed the company's new identity and the 'day-night product cycle' concept to provide consistent service to hoteliers. This transformation aims to simplify Shiji's portfolio and demonstrate commitment to the hospitality industry.

📌 Cross-border payments company Nium partners with wholesale tour operator G2 Travel to use Nium's virtual card payment solution, enabling G2 Travel to pay hotel partners globally and add over 20 local currencies to its services. G2 Travel's founder, David Littlefair, cites Nium's global reach and currency coverage as key reasons for the partnership, aimed at improving payment speed, security, and reliability. Nium's SVP, Max Lehmann, highlights benefits for hotels such as faster payments and reduced fraud. The collaboration plans to grow G2 Travel's global payment capabilities and group business offerings.

💰 Hands In, a fintech innovator, has raised over £1 million in a recent funding round, aiming to expand into new sectors, enhance technology, and scale operations. The funding, complementing a previous £500,000 pre-seed in 2023, totals over £1 million within two years. Notable backers include fintech angels Ryta Zasiekina and founders of CONCRYT. Plans include activating contracts in 2025, chasing £1 million in ARR, and redefining global split payments.

📌 Mews, an Amsterdam-based hospitality tech company, secured $75 million for expansion into the US and DACH region. Previously, they closed a $110 million round led by Tiger Global with Kinnevik, Battery Ventures, and Goldman Sachs. In the last year, Mews grew over 50%, processed $10 billion in payments, and generated $200 million in revenue. Recently, Mews acquired Clarity and Quotelo to enhance its AI and revenue management capabilities. The firm has invested over $50 million in the US and plans substantial further investment.

📈 Sunnyvale, CA, March 3rd, 2025 – LodgIQ appoints Pascal Schubert as VP Business Development Europe to expand its AI-driven revenue management solutions for the hospitality industry. Schubert's background includes senior roles at SHR Group, D-EDGE Hospitality Solutions, Sabre Corporation, FastBooking, and WIHP, with expertise in CRS, RMS, CRM, and market growth. CEO Vincent Ramelli highlights Schubert's experience as pivotal for LodgIQ's global expansion and innovation in revenue optimization. LodgIQ, serving over 550 hotels, offers advanced analytics and actionable insights for hoteliers.

🏨 RobosizeME, a leading provider of AI-enabled hospitality automation solutions, achieved ISO 27001 certification and GDPR compliance on 3 March 2025 in Prague. The certifications, audited by TÜV SÜD, ensure robust data management and security against evolving threats, vital for hoteliers using guest data. The company's Founder and CEO, Stephen Burke, emphasizes the commitment to data integrity and security. With U.S. and EU locations and an upcoming site in China, RobosizeME is positioned as a secure automation leader for the global hotel industry.

🌆 G6 Hospitality plans to open a 295-room Motel 6 near the Las Vegas Strip in May 2025, owned by S.R.E Enterprises LLC. This marks a significant expansion, with Las Vegas welcoming 41.7 million tourists in 2024. The company is investing in a $10 million marketing initiative and partnering with companies like Google and Microsoft. OYO recently acquired G6, aiming to add over 150 hotels in 2025, focusing on Texas, California, Georgia, and Arizona. G6 also partnered with HotelKey to modernize operations.