with the participation of:
UN Tourism Open Innovation Challenge France: Collaborations between French Travel Tech Startups and Large Tourism Companies
Organized by UN Tourism and the Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Industry, the Open Innovation Challenge France aims to reward the best collaborations between travel tech startups and large companies. The Challenge brings together travel tech startups, large corporations, public institutions, investors, and the academic community. Its goal is to highlight how innovative partnerships can transform the tourism sector and promote a more sustainable, accessible, and inclusive tourism industry in France. Selected participants will receive tailored training and mentorship, as well as networking opportunities through the UN Tourism network. They will also have the chance to present and showcase their projects to an audience of investors, industry leaders, and key stakeholders at the "UN Tourism Tech Adventure - France" (TTA) event, which will take place in France at the end of 2025.
The Challenge
Designed to encourage companies to collaborate on major issues facing the tourism industry, the challenge allows startups and large companies to present successful collaborations stemming from Proof of Concepts (POCs) that address specific challenges in the travel tech sector. Participants must submit solutions aligned with one of the following two areas:
- Better - Enhancing tourism services: these innovations should optimize the quality, accessibility, or sustainability of tourism services and include digital tools that improve the travel experience, reduce environmental impact, and promote inclusivity for travelers from all backgrounds.
- Efficiency - Accelerating the efficiency of the tourism sector through technology: leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analytics to streamline operations, optimize resource allocation, and increase efficiency within the tourism industry.
What are the objectives?:
Discover innovative collaborations between startups and large companies in the travel tech sector.
- Identifying High-Potential Open Innovation Partnerships between Startups and Large Corporations: Through a rigorous selection process, the challenge will identify partnerships with scalable and impactful solutions in travel technology.
- Providing Comprehensive Support: Selected partnerships will receive mentorship and training from industry experts. Startups will focus on scalability strategies, business model optimization, and effective pitching techniques, while large corporations will receive training on collaborating with startups, forming joint ventures, and enhancing corporate innovation.
- Facilitating Strategic Partnerships: The final Pitch Challenge will serve as a platform for startups and large corporations to connect with leading investors and key stakeholders, fostering potential collaborations and investment opportunities.
- Promoting Sustainable Innovation: Emphasis will be placed on solutions that contribute to the ecological transition and inclusivity in tourism, aligning with global sustainability goals.
- Showcasing France as a Hub of Travel Tech: By highlighting innovative solutions and successful startups, the event will reinforce France's reputation as a pioneering destination in the realm of travel technology.
Join the Partnership Challenge for French Travel Tech Startups and Large Companies!
The Challenge is open to pairs of French startups (headquartered in France) and large companies (French or foreign) in the tourism sector.
- The co-developed solution must address a use case in travel tech or tourism innovation.
- Startups must have a minimum viable product (MVP), a prototype, or a solution ready for scaling.
- Companies must be able to provide resources, mentorship, and support for implementation and expansion.
Participants will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- The collaboration between the startup and the company generates tangible value, including innovation, efficiency, and enhancement of service offerings.
- The anticipated economic and operational impact of the solution, with an emphasis on scalability and long-term benefits for the tourism sector.
- The stage of development of the solution, including its readiness for market implementation and the robustness of the proposed technology or product.
- The experience, skills, team structure involved, and the overall organizational capacity to realize the proposed innovation.
- The ability of the startup and the company to engage in a collaborative partnership, including their strategic fit, communication, and shared goals.
More information and the Terms of Reference:
Specific Criteria for the "Faster - Accelerating Efficiency in the Tourism Sector through Technology" Category:
- Solutions must facilitate the digitization of tourism operations, including booking systems, customer engagement platforms, and data-driven decision support tools.
- Solutions should develop smart technologies for the tourism sector that integrate connected devices, AI, and data analytics to create more responsive, personalized, and efficient travel experiences.
Specific Criteria for the "Better - Enhancing Tourism Services" Category:
- Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), alignment of the solution with the UN SDGs, and its potential to advance them, focusing on sustainable tourism practices. Innovations should promote eco-friendly practices in tourism, such as reducing carbon footprints, encouraging responsible travel, and managing natural resources sustainably.
This Challenge presents a unique opportunity for startups and large companies to come together, push the boundaries of travel tech, and contribute to a more sustainable future for tourism in France. Selected companies will benefit from:
- Personalized mentorship and training, with guidance from tourism experts, innovators, and key stakeholders in the UN Tourism global network, to help startups refine their business models and implementation strategies, and assist large companies in enhancing their intrapreneurship and open innovation practices.
- Opportunities to present solutions at high-profile events like the "UN Tourism Tech Adventure - France," gaining exposure to investors, government officials, and potential partners.
- Ongoing support to implement their solutions, including access to funding opportunities, strategic partnerships, and media coverage to enhance visibility.
- A key role in advancing sustainable tourism by aligning innovations with the SDGs, making a tangible impact on the environment and local communities.
- Exploring new markets and growth opportunities by showcasing scalable solutions that address urgent industry challenges, supported by a global framework;
- Receive scholarships from the UN Tourism Online Academy.
Calendrier :
October 24, 2024: Launch of the call for applications
31 Mars 2025: Deadline for application submissions
Spring 2025: Announcement of finalists
End of Spring 2025: Start of the mentorship program
Fall 2025 (to be confirmed): Final presentation at a "UN Tourism Tech Adventure - France" event
End of 2025: Continuous support for the finalists via the UN Tourism Startup NetworkAbout Innovation at UN Tourism
UN Tourism leads policies and with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through its Innovation, Education, and Investment Department, it has developed 32 Startup Competitions and Specific Challenges. Alongside multiple innovation and technology forums, generating an Innovation Network of more than 400 startups, 500 companies, 400 public institutions, 250 educational centers, 40 incubators/accelerators, and 290 investors. This ecosystem connection has enabled the generation of more than 2 billion US dollars in financing for new companies.