Startups can now apply for the 3rd edition of Nova SBE's tourism innovation program – Check-In Tourism Innovation on Campus until October 29. The initiative, promoted by the Nova SBE Haddad Entrepreneurship Institute in partnership with the Nova SBE Westmont Institute of Tourism & Hospitality and sponsored by Turismo de Portugal, kicks off on December 11 with the immersive Matchmaking event.
Taking place at the Carcavelos campus, during the Matchmaking event, the pre-selected startups will have the opportunity to present and showcase their solutions to SMEs and partner entities, with opportunities for co-developing pilot projects for the next phase of the initiative, which will last three months.
Consumer experience, technological solutions, sustainability, local inclusion, and talent management are the challenge areas of this edition, which ends with the usual Demo Day on March 13, 2024.
"This is the time to redesign and adjust tourism practices, improving the customer experience, co-creating innovative solutions that enable responsible local involvement, and developing sustainable actions focused on people," says Euclides Major, executive director of the Nova SBE Haddad Entrepreneurship Institute. "We intend to bring startups and SMEs, both national and international, the resources and dynamism that are crucial to accelerating the innovation process that is so essential for the travel and tourism sector through collaborative projects," he concludes.
Many of the entities that collaborated in previous editions are still partners in this edition, confirming the recognition of the quality of the initiative, which is characterized by the disruption of the projects presented and the synergies created. A total of 17 partners are involved in Check-In Tourism Innovation on Campus: Boost, Campingir, Cityrama, Details Hotels, FeelsLikeHome, GuestCentric, HotelShop, Osiris, Parques de Sintra, Tour Tailors, Travel Store, United Hotels, Discovery Hotel Management, Inatel, Newtour, Pousadas da Juventude and Visit Cascais.
Check-In Tourism Innovation on Campus
The launch of the Check-In Tourism Innovation on Campus program aimed to bring resources, dynamism, and innovation to startups and SMEs, both national and international, to face the new era of tourism.
In its second edition, in 2022, the program gathered 76 applications, evaluated 362 proposals, and shortlisted 20 startups. In the final phase, when the pilots were carried out, 10 startups and 12 partners presented 21 solutions to make the tourism sector more digital, closer, efficient, sustainable, and safe.
Nova SBE intends to take an active and responsible role in preparing today's companies for tomorrow's tourism, bringing together a diverse set of players to promote an open innovation program with close coordination between the Academy, companies in the sector, and startups.