Amadeus expands startup seeding to three Asian markets, new industries

Amadeus Next startups, GoHero, BorderPass and CarePod exhibited at the Amadeus Airline Regional Community meeting in Singapore in November 2017

Amadeus Next will expand into three new Asian markets, namely China, Indonesia and Vietnam, as well as new industries, as it turns two years old with a list of 33 startups it has powered.

China is where the “tech companies are leading the charge for entrepreneurship”, it said, while Indonesia and Vietnam are “two of the most promising markets for the startup ecosystem”.

Amadeus Next startups, GoHero, BorderPass and CarePod exhibited at the Amadeus Airline Regional Community meeting in Singapore in November 2017

The move will see Amadeus Next work actively with relevant stakeholders to support startups on the ground. In addition to helping entrepreneurs identify suitable customers and partners, the Amadeus Next startup community also provides a platform for ideas sharing between fellow entrepreneurs.

It also intends to enter into new industries such as Xank, CarePod and Global Himalayan Expedition. Xank explores the effect of blockchain on the South-east Asian travel sector, a key area of focus for Amadeus in 2018. CarePod creates new enterprise solutions to boost airline ancillary, including improving the experiences of “pet owner” passengers and their pets throughout the entire air travel process. Global Himalayan Expedition (GHE) is a social enterprise focused on providing energy, education, connectivity and livelihood access to remote Himalayan villages.

“Working with GHE proves sustainable development and cultural tourism can go hand in hand. We are always on the hunt for interesting startups with a CSR or sustainability angle, this will be another priority in the coming year,” said Simon Akeroyd, vice president, corporate strategy and business development, Amadeus Asia-Pacific.

“We will also continue to explore other verticals such as fintech, insurtech and IoT to discover emerging technologies and trends before they reach the travel sector.”

Akeroyd said the tech startup scene in Asia is booming, with nearly a third of the world’s private unicorns valued at US$1 billion headquartered here. With more travel startups in Asia-Pacific achieving unicorn status, such as China (Tujia) and Indonesia (GO-JEK), Amadeus is committed to propelling the travel tech startups in these markets, on their journey to becoming the next big thing, he said.

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