Source: Hospitality Net

Event Date: June 26, 2024
Venue: Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, N.C., USA
Sponsored by: Hospitality Net

On June 26, 2024, the Charlotte Convention Center buzzed with energy and innovation as eight ambitious entrepreneurs presented breakthrough business concepts at E20X North America.

Sponsored by Hospitality Net, this event was part of the expanding Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) program, designed to reinvigorate the hospitality technology industry.

Purpose and Format:

  • E20X North America aimed to boost innovation in the hospitality technology sector.
  • The competition featured eight entrepreneurs pitching their ideas to a room full of HITEC attendees and a panel of expert judges, including hospitality CIOs, angel investors, serial entrepreneurs, and industry insiders.
  • Each startup had four minutes to pitch and a Q&A session with the judges.

Judging and Awards:

  • Two awards were presented: the Judge's Choice Award and the People's Choice Award.
  • The Judge's Choice Award, selected by the panel of judges, included a $5,000 prize.
  • Audience votes determined the People's Choice Award.

Winners:

  • Judge's Choice Award: Folio: Folio impressed the judges with its innovative procurement and payment platform that streamlines hotel operations.
  • People's Choice Award: H2O Connected: H2O Connected captured the audience's favor with their wireless technology to monitor and save water in hotel toilets, showcasing environmental and financial benefits.

Event Highlights

The event started with a welcome message emphasizing the importance of preparation and concise communication. Each startup took the stage to present its innovative solutions, ranging from data-driven guest experiences to efficient procurement systems.

Afiixify: An AI-driven platform designed to help hotels select the best technology solutions based on their specific needs. It uses a proprietary matching algorithm to connect hoteliers with software that fits their requirements (website: https://www.getaffixify.com)

Away Together: A mobile app that enhances guest communication and experience by providing hotel information and enabling guest-to-guest interactions. It allows for pre-trip planning and post-trip nostalgia-building activities. (website: https://www.myawaytogether.com)

BonApp: This POS digital menu app enhances customer experiences and optimizes management in hospitality businesses. It offers features like multi-restaurant management, customizable digital menus, Q.R. code ordering and payments, and real-time data analytics (website: http://www.bonapp.group/)

Crqlar: A guest data platform that creates personalized experiences for luxury hotels by centralizing and analyzing guest data. It connects various hotel tools to provide actionable insights for enhancing guest services. (website: https://www.crqlar.com/)

Directful: A platform focused on automating hotel guest communication and marketing. It uses A.I. to send personalized messages to guests, encouraging repeat visits and improving engagement. (website: https://directful.com)

Folio: The Judge's Choice Award winner, Folio, presented their platform that simplifies procurement for hotels by integrating suppliers, digitizing invoices, and offering a user-friendly interface similar to Amazon. (website: https://folio.co)

H2O Connected: The People's Choice Award winner highlighted their technology to detect and fix water wastage issues in hotel toilets, aiming to save water and reduce costs. (website: https://www.leakalertorpro.com)

Yipy: A standards management software designed to help hotels organize, manage, and communicate operational standards. It aims to replace traditional pen-and-paper methods with a digital solution that ensures consistency and compliance. (website: https://yipy.io)

Conclusion

E20X North America 2024 showcased the innovative spirit driving the hospitality technology industry. With groundbreaking solutions presented by passionate entrepreneurs, the event highlighted the industry's ongoing evolution. The winners, Folio and H2O Connected, exemplified the potential of technology to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and guest experiences in the hospitality sector. The success of E20X North America underlines the importance of innovation and technology in transforming the hospitality industry, ensuring it continues to meet the ever-evolving demands of guests and operators alike.

About Hospitality Net

Acting as a ‘neutral’ broker and publisher of hotel business information, Hospitality Net is the #1 ranked global website for the global hospitality community. Hospitality Net enables all industry stakeholders to amplify visibility on its platform and connect with the industry globally through a membership business model, unlike any other publishing initiative in the industry. Members include actors throughout the hospitality spectrum - hotel groups, vendors/suppliers, associations, universities/schools, consultants, and event organizers. To learn more, visit hospitalitynet.org. To learn more, visit hospitalitynet.org.

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