CapsuleT Accelerator Program for Hospitality & Travel Startups – Greece

The acceleration program is the core vehicle of the efforts. Activities have been designed according to the needs of the startups which will join the program as well as the need to connect and involve all stakeholders of the ecosystem. The main objective is to offer a rich content which will address the business needs of the participating startups, provide hands on learning opportunities and tools for their ventures as well as guidance on how to scale up their business in the travel & hospitality market.

The duration of the acceleration program for each cycle will be 5 months with the option for startups to stay as a resident additionally for 3 months and continue to use the facilities for free. Apart from workshops and mentoring sessions, the program is enriched with local events, pitching opportunities, meetups, industry site visits and networking activities. Moreover, extrovert activities through learning and networking sessions, participations at trade shows and delegations abroad are also a key element of the program, in order to connect Greek teams with the rest of the world.

The program is offered to the selected candidates free of charge and without any financial requirements (equity or stocks from your company) but with the prospect that you will support the efforts once you become a successful business!

Prizes & Awards

• The teams participating in the program claim cash prizes of forty thousand euros (€40,000) in total from the Organizer provided they will successfully complete the CapsuleT Travel & Hospitality Acceleration Program.
• Awards will be given according to the teams’ overall score in the program and the final evaluation will be made by the Judging Committee during the Closing Ceremony event. The graduation of the awards is as follows: 1st cash prize of 10,000 euros, 2nd prize of 5,000 euros and 3rd prize of 3,000 euros while the remaining participants/teams, if they complete the program successfully, receive 2,000 euros each. They also claim any other benefits by the strategic partners/supporters of CapsuleT that may will arise during the Program.
• For the successful completion of the Program is required a minimum “Program Rating“ score based on the selected criteria, such as the grade of the presence in the Program, the grade of the response to deliverables, teams’ active participation in mentoring programs, workshops and events, the level of cooperation and their development during the Program.

Which solutions are they looking for?

They are looking for tech startups that offer innovative solutions in the context of the following areas:

• Hotel and food & beverage sector (indicatively, hotel management, revenue management, channel management, operations management, HR management, guest products & services etc.)
• Distribution / transfers / mobility
• Booking engines and ΟΤΑs
• Activity providers
• Sustainability solutions, such as food waste, energy and natural resources saving solutions (regarding hotels, tourism facilities, museums, but also places such as islands, villages, and other significant regions with extensive touristic concentration)
• Accessibility solutions
• Specialized communication and promotional solutions regarding the tourism sector (such as, social media engagement, service reviews, advertising etc.)
• Fintech Solutions for Travel

Eligibility

• The startup must have incorporated less than 4 years and has received funding less than 500.000 euros.
• Eligible candidates to secure a place in the program must be tech startups with a completed business proposal, must have at least a working prototype to showcase live and a team with at least 2 founding members to support the venture.
• Applicants must be over 18 and have Greek nationality or residency (this regards the founding team).
• If you meet all the criteria, then the next step is to have the time to commit to the program for a period of 5 months. Commitment includes regular weekly attendance at the accelerator’s premises, attendance to all workshops & events when invited with at least one team member, time to work with your mentors and the enthusiasm to collaborate with the rest of the residence of the program.

For more information, visit Hotel Chamber of Greece (H.E.E.).