Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) has announced a new collaboration with Plug and Play, a leading startup accelerator based in Silicon Valley. The travel management company will help select the most promising startups working on the next generation of travel & hospitality products and services. CWT is an anchor member of Plug and Play Travel & Hospitality.
Plug and Play Travel & Hospitality is on a mission to discover, support, and scale technologies that are defining the future of travel and hospitality. Using CWT’s extensive travel experience, Plug and Play will accept 20-30 startups in each of its two Travel & Hospitality classes of 2016. Startups accepted into the three-month program will receive mentor opportunities with leaders in the travel & hospitality space across all verticals including hotels, airlines, online travel agencies, cruise lines, and global distribution systems.
Vincent Lebunetel, vice president, Corporate Innovation at CWT, said: “Through this collaboration with Plug and Play, we can proactively help startups navigate the complexity of the travel industry.”
He continued: “It’s mutually beneficial. We hear a different perspective on our industry while making important connections with future leaders and those behind the latest business travel innovations. And the new companies get the benefit of our experience.”
“We are very excited to have CWT join Plug and Play’s Travel and Hospitality Center of Innovation. CWT’s commitment to innovation is evident and unique.” says Amir Amidi, managing partner of Plug and Play Travel & Hospitality. “Their systematic approach to innovation will help the company leverage relationships with fast moving disrupters that have potential to significantly impact the travel industry. We are very excited to contribute to CWT’s innovation roadmap.”
Notes to editors
Plug and Play is bridging the gap between industry leaders such as CWT and startups. Join their ecosystem
The Travel & Hospitality Accelerator is a three-month program designed for early and growth stage startups. Qualified companies are developing solutions in various stages of travel, including choosing, planning a trip, booking, en-route and post-trip activities. Participating startups receive mentoring opportunities, as well as exposure to investors and potential pilot opportunities with corporate partners.
About Carlson Wagonlit Travel
Companies and governments rely on us to keep their people connected. We provide their travelers with a consumer-grade travel experience, combining innovative technology with our vast experience. Every day we look after enough travelers to fill almost 200 Boeing 747s and around 100,000 hotel rooms, and handle 95 corporate events. We have more than 18,000 people in nearly 150 countries, and in 2016 posted a total transaction volume of US$ 23 billion.
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About Plug and Play Tech Center
Plug and Play Tech Center is the world’s largest global technology accelerator and venture fund. Since inception in 2006, our program has expanded worldwide to include entrepreneurs from 24 countries, providing necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley. With over 350 startups and 300 corporate partners, we have created the ultimate startup ecosystem. Plug and Play provides active investments with 180 leading Silicon Valley VCs, and more than 365 networking events per year. Companies in our community have raised over $3.5 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Dropbox, Lending Club, PayPal, and SoundHound. For more information, visit our website.