Hospitality revolves around people and includes sectors from restaurants and hotels to guesthouses and campsites, emphasizing how visitors are welcomed and cared for. It is an operational field dependent on timing, service, and interaction, playing a crucial role, though often unnoticed, in any social or travel encounter.
Hospitality is distinct from travel, catering to different needs. TravelTech focuses on planning, booking, and traveling, while HospitalityTech is concerned with the guest’s experience after arrival. It emphasizes tools for communication, staffing, ordering, payment, and operations. Both areas are critical, solving varied problems through different systems.
Here is a list of 10 European startups since 2022, enhancing hospitality operations. From inventory management and payments to guest messaging and staff hiring automation, these companies create tools for the practicalities of service environments like restaurants and hotels.
Appetite, a London-based app, aids in discovering and sharing restaurant recommendations as a social platform for users to explore dining spots, track visits, and view tailored suggestions. Founded in 2023, without anonymous reviews, the focus is on personal and community-driven exploration. The app is on iOS and Android, raising €1.75 million.
Candid Hospitality, a UK recruitment platform for hospitality, eliminates CVs and cover letters, matching candidates and employers anonymously based on culture, competencies, and compensation. Founded in 2024, it simplifies hiring, utilizing a swipe-based interface for job browsing. The company raised over €900k.
FoodFlow from Paris offers a digital restaurant supply platform featuring over 5,000 items for easy ordering and next-day delivery. Founded in 2023, it enhances supply chain efficiency and sustainability, raising €2 million.
Honei, in Barcelona, allows restaurant guests to order and pay via mobile from their table, improving service speed and reducing workload. Founded in 2022, it includes a built-in CRM and features that enhance customer experience, raising €2.1 million.
Munchi, based in Helsinki, provides an all-in-one POS system for restaurants to manage orders, payments, and loyalty programs. Founded in 2022, it enhances customer retention using AI, raising over €1 million.
Olivaw in Munich offers a cloud-based management platform for diverse service robot fleets, supporting different robot types and integrating with building systems. Founded in 2023, it facilitates robot operations and development, raising €1.2 million.
Peckish from Amsterdam automates inventory and procurement with AI using video input, managing stock and invoices via WhatsApp. Founded in 2023, it puts supply operations on autopilot, raising over €880k.
Ringr.ai, Madrid-based, provides an AI-driven phone communication platform allowing automated calls with natural conversational AI. Founded in 2024, it replaces traditional call center tools and offers customization, raising €1.2 million.
Runnr.ai in Utrecht offers AI-powered communication for accommodation providers, automating guest replies and supporting upselling and digital check-ins. Founded in 2022, it unifies guest interactions and supports multilingual responses, raising over €1 million.
Slinger from London connects hospitality businesses with vetted temporary and permanent workers, streamlining hiring without traditional steps. Founded in 2022, it focuses on quick adaptability and fair wages, with over €530k raised.
By the way, the FutureTravel Summit 2025 is on 30 October at Antiga Fàbrica Estrella Damm in Barcelona, offering keynotes, panels, and pitch competitions for innovative insights and networking with travel visionaries.