Supporting innovation and cultivating a culture of advanced tech, entrepreneurship and mentorship in travel
This dynamic platform of products and unique programming brings industry leaders together for knowledge sharing, mentorship, recognition and unprecedented access to industry resources.
Phocuswright Innovation consists of multiple interactive and interconnected elements:
Innovation Research
Phocuswright's Open Access research platform is the foundation for our entire coverage of innovation.
Our Innovation research spotlights the most important technology and business trends industry leaders need to understand to stay ahead of the game. From artificial intelligence to super apps to sustainability to Web3, Phocuswright brings unprecedented clarity and insight.
Phocuswright has tracked the digital travel startup landscape for well over a decade. Our annual State of Travel Startups report discusses the most significant technology-driven issues or developments shaping travel distribution in the course of the year and beyond.
Travel Startups Interactive Database
Our Travel Startups Interactive Database contains thousands of companies founded since 2005 and allows subscribers to sort and filter the list of companies based on nuanced industry-specific categories, visualize data in customizable charts, discover new companies, competitors and trends, and uncover relationships between data points.
This interactive database – containing thousands of travel startups founded since 2005 – enables you to:
- Sort and filter the list of companies by founded year, total funding, HQ country, HQ region, company status, vertical category, horizontal category and business focus
- Sort and filter the list of individual funding rounds, acquisitions and IPOs by the same criteria plus funding date and stage
- Quickly filter all data based on common presets, including “Core travel verticals”, “Early stage active”, “Data-related companies”, “Phocuswright Innovation Alumni” and “PhocusWire Hot 25 Startups”
- Visualize aggregated data in interactive charts, including founding and funding trends over time, by region, by category, and by funding round date and type
- View information and trends relating to individual companies
- View information and trends relating to individual investors
- Discover new companies and competitors in your region or segment
PhocusWire Startup Stage
Startup Stage is PhocusWire’s feature on startups that are no more than three years old. Please answer all of the questions. We’ll review it and then, assuming it’s a fit, get it published on our site. See examples here.
Apply herePitch Competitions and Much More
Phocuswright's pitch events are a startup's gateway into the multi-billion dollar travel industry. Innovators who take the stage demonstrate new concepts, technologies and business models entering the scene.
Apply to any of our programs and events hereInnovation: Launch is the stage for companies of any age that are breaking new ground and developing new technologies to advance the travel landscape.
Awards: Travel Innovation Award (winner and runner up), People’s Choice Award
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- Innovation: Launch held during The Phocuswright Conference
The Global Startup Pitch leverages the expertise of WiT, Phocuswright and industry partners to surface the most innovative technologies impacting travel today. Occurs in multiple rounds, some virtual, starting in May and ending in October.
Award: The Global Startup of the Year wins a presentation spot at The Phocuswright Conference.
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Startup Program: Pitching isn’t everything, nor is it the only thing. In recognition of this, we created the Phocuswright Startup Program, a curated networking platform, to connect startups with corporates and investors.
This
program offers startups a brand-new alternative to network with the best in travel. In turn, investors and mentors gain direct access to a pool of the freshest startups and ideas in travel.
The Startup Program is held at Phocuswright Europe and the U.S.-based Phocuswright Conference. Accepted attendees participate
in curated roundtable discussions with industry experts, office hours appointments with Startup Program mentors, inspiring presentations and intimate networking opportunities.
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PhocusWire's annual Hot 25 Travel Startups list considers hundreds of companies in the Phocuswright ecosystem to select the 25 most promising for the coming year with a focus on early-stage, under the radar innovators.
Some of the Hot 25 companies are selected for presentations spots at The Phocuswright Conference.
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Phocuswright Innovation By the Numbers
An esteemed group of companies has taken the Phocuswright stage bringing countless innovations to the market and collectively raising over US$12B in the process:
Apply to any of our programs and events hereNews Coverage
PhocusWire covers the complex and exciting world of travel startups from every angle: creation and funding to acquisitions and pivots.
PhocusWire also features unique segments and editorial content:
- Hot 25 Travel Startups : Annual, curated list of startups that have the greatest potential to make a difference to their sector or market in the next 12 months.
- The top investors in travel tech 2025: PhocusWire tracks the top investors in travel to understand where they see opportunity and are willing to place their bets. This annual feature is part of its wider coverage of the startup ecosystem, which also includes our selection of the 25 travel startups poised to stand out in the coming year—known as our Hot 25 Travel Tech Startups list—published every November.
- Startup Stage is PhocusWire’s feature on startups that are no more than three years old.
Learn More About Phocuswright Innovation
To learn more about any innovation event or service, please contact us.