Innovation

🏦 Hi Auto, an AI-powered voice tech startup for the QSR industry, secured $15 million in Series A funding led by Delek Motors, the Zisapel Family, and others, totaling $23 million raised with a $4 million credit line for expansion. Hi Auto's SaaS platform delivers 96% order accuracy and over 90% completion rate, tackling labor cost challenges like California's $20/hour minimum wage. With clients like Bojangles and Popeyes UK, the company's dynamic upselling feature boosts average ticket sizes. Founded in 2019 by Roy Baharav and Eyal Shapira, Hi Auto has a team of 100 people globally.

🛡 Joseph Frisk, VP and CISO at Dine Brands, and Marcus Wasdin from the Restaurant Technology Network Board of Governors highlight the complexity of cybersecurity in the restaurant industry. Cyber threats exploit human error, loyalty programs, and use AI for attacks. Restaurant IT must educate employees, secure customer data, monitor threats in real-time, and prepare for post-quantum cryptography to combat rapidly evolving cyber risks while balancing user experience.

☕ Tambia, a Colombian speciality coffee brand, is evolving its packaging this month to a new look with fully recyclable packs. The new design features a deep navy-blue background, gold logo, and a hummingbird, symbolizing Colombian biodiversity with 160 hummingbird species. The range includes Finca La Sierra, Castillo washed in light, medium, and dark roasts, and limited editions Geisha washed and Pink Bourbon washed coffees. These are available for purchase on Tambia’s website, Amazon, select retailers, and via subscription service starting at £7.43 for a 200g bag. The Arabica beans are grown on high-altitude land on Cerro Bravo, ensuring traceability and quality from seed to cup.

🏠 PPDS and Allente partnered to improve hotel entertainment with Philips MediaSuite TVs in Scandinavia. The collaboration, started in 2020 after Allente formed from Canal Digital and Viasat Consumer's merger, targets one million customers across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Philips MediaSuite, the first hospitality TV with Netflix readiness and Google Cast, joins Allente's premium live sports, movies, and TV series, aiming to provide guests with a home-from-home TV experience. This service offers competitively priced content packages, enhancing in-room entertainment by allowing guests to access streaming accounts with personal devices. PPDS’ Nils Brovold and Allente’s Therese Mellin both emphasize the elevated guest experience this partnership offers.

Funding to fuel product innovation, expand team, and meet surging demand for integrated lodging operations technology NEW YORK, 7 APRIL 2025 – SuiteOp, the first Guest Operations Platform that connects hospitality teams…

🦛 The Reserve at Chester Zoo, managed by Adriaan Erasmus, combines luxury lodges with immersive wildlife experiences, supporting global conservation efforts. Guests enjoy unique encounters, bespoke lodges made from sustainable materials, and behind-the-scenes tours. Stay contributions fund projects like the giant pangolin initiative in Uganda and black rhino programs in Rwanda and Kenya. The Reserve offers family-friendly packages with two-day zoo passes, exclusive dining, and activities like the Giraffe Wake-Up Experience. Opening in August, The Reserve personalizes stays for all family sizes with 51 lodges, including accessible options, focusing on conservation and luxury hospitality.