Organised together with Pioneers Discover, the Booster Labs are short, compact weekend programmes dedicated to giving early-stage startups the insights, tools and skills they need to grow and make an impact, including the chance to pitch for funding of up to €25,000 from Booking.com. After the first Booster Labs weekend in Barcelona, the Booster Labs roadshow will head to North America, Asia and the Middle East in 2018, with future cities and timings to be announced shortly.
Following up on the success of the company’s Booking Booster programme, a three-week accelerator that ran at their Amsterdam HQ this year, Booking.com B.V. has decided to take the concept to other parts of the world in a condensed weekend format, focussed on empowering early-stage startups from specific regions, beginning with Europe.
“Our goal with the new Booster Labs is to identify, mentor and support sustainable tourism startups at an earlier-stage in their development,” said Wendy van Leeuwen, Program Manager for Booking Booster at Booking.com B.V. “Pioneers are an ideal partner to support us in creating condensed, yet impactful programmes that will empower startups with the actionable plans and assistance they need to kickstart their further growth.”
Over the three days of the weekend programme, startups selected for the Booster Labs will participate in hands-on workshops and insightful talks from the best industry experts, and be paired with mentors from Booking.com B.V. – an inspiringly successful company with a host of sustainable tourism initiatives. And a company, let’s not forget, that began as just another typical startup back in the 90s.
After two days of networking, workshops, mentorship and talks, the weekends will conclude with a pitching day. If the startups’ projected impact and growth plans are impressive enough, they could win a grant of up to €25,000.
Pioneers Discover will be responsible for driving startup scouting and for executing and managing the events. For the first Booster Lab weekend in Barcelona, we will be looking for 10-15 of the most innovative and inspiring European-based startups in sustainable tourism to apply. (Deadline to apply is October 15.) More specifically, startups should be early-stage and working in one of the following two areas:
Innovative solutions to overcrowding that prevent negative economic, environmental and sociocultural effects associated with mass tourism; and/or
Business concepts which promote inclusive growth that supports and develops local economies and communities.
For more information and to apply for the first Booster Lab in Barcelona on December 1-3 visit our Pioneers Discover Open Calls page.
