Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), producers of Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®), is pleased to announce its exclusive Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) sponsorship agreement with HoReCa.digital, a unit of METRO Wholesale & Food Specialist Company, for HITEC Amsterdam. The successful E20X pitch competition, featuring hospitality technology startups, will take place with HITEC Amsterdam's pre-conference events in the afternoon on 28 March 2017. Following the pre-conference program is the full HITEC Amsterdam event, featuring two full days of education, an expo and networking party. HFTP's inaugural HITEC Amsterdam is the first of three HITEC events planned for 2017, and will take place 28–30 March at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
HFTP's Entrepreneur 20X program, featured at HITEC, is a pitch competition that provides hospitality technology start-ups a career-boosting opportunity with exposure to top industry mentors, investors, leaders and executives. The startups compete for a cash prize, two separate awards and much more in this thrilling competition series.
"We are grateful for our partnership with HoReCa.digital for the premier of Entrepreneur 20X in Europe this year," said HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe, CAE. "This exclusive partnership with HoReCa.digital will serve as an additional benefit to our Entrepreneur 20X participants at HITEC Amsterdam, as the company's business model speaks directly to that intended audience."
HoReCa.digital is a newly established business unit of METRO that focuses on helping independent restaurants, hotels and caterers via innovative digital tools and solutions to improve their businesses. Focused on digital opportunities in the hospitality sector, HoReCa.digital features METRO Accelerator's highly selective mentorship program for technology-first startups across the entire value chain of Hospitality and Retail. METRO Accelerator is powered by Techstars, a flagship program based in Berlin, and invests in companies who are market champions in pioneering new grounds with their unique digital solutions.
Benefits to the Hospitality program include a monetary investment, access to industry experts, mentorship from key hospitality executives and leaders, venture capitalists and experienced entrepreneurs – and much more. HFTP Global President Lyle Worthington, CHTP and HFTP Global Secretary Michael Levie, CHTP both serve as mentors for METRO Accelerator, and are described as some of the best, brightest and most innovative entrepreneurial minds out there.
"We are delighted to be the exclusive sponsor of Entrepreneur 20X at HFTP's premier HITEC Amsterdam this year," said Frédéric Schumacher, director at HoReCa.digital. "HoReCa.digital is showing its commitment to the industry by encouraging an environment where entrepreneurs and new businesses can unveil new digital solutions and create lasting economic value in their respected communities."
Co-located with HITEC Amsterdam are two additional events brought by HFTP industry allies. The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Region Europe will locate its Revenue Optimization Conference (ROC) with HITEC Amsterdam. Also co-locating is the Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) Insight Summit Europe.
In addition to HITEC Amsterdam, in 2017 HFTP is producing the larger HITEC Toronto on 26–29 June and HITEC Dubai in Fall in partnership with Naseba. For more information about HITEC and HFTP's other global activities, contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at education@hftp.org or visit www.hftp.org and www.hftp.org/hitec.
