JetBlue Technology Ventures and Geneva Airport talk startup engagement and innovation culture at FTE Innovation & Startup Hub Virtual Event

Members of the FTE Innovation & Startup Hub – the air transport industry’s global innovation network – gathered online last week for the latest members-only virtual event. In addition to Innovation Keynotes by Stephen Snyder, Managing Director, Operations & Partnerships, JetBlue Technology Ventures (JTV) and Hamidul Huq, Innovation Project Manager, Geneva Airport (GVA), the event featured quick-fire pitches from four new startup members, who offered insight into how their products and services can support and enhance airlines, airports and their partners.

Stephen Snyder, Managing Director, Operations & Partnerships, JetBlue Technology Ventures (JTV) and Hamidul Huq, Innovation Project Manager, Geneva Airport delivered the Innovation Keynotes.

JetBlue Technology Ventures: Successfully collaborating with high-potential startups

The virtual event kicked off with a presentation by JetBlue Technology Ventures’ Stephen Snyder, who shared how JTV successfully sources and collaborates with high-potential startups. Since 2016, JTV has scanned the global startup ecosystem for innovations in the travel and hospitality industries; invested in and partnered with emerging startups; and brought new technologies to JetBlue Airways and its ecosystem partners. This link between JTV and JetBlue Airways is a crucial part of the set-up. “We really need to make sure that JetBlue is not only identifying these technologies but finding ways to incorporate them and really understand and shape these technologies,” Snyder said.

Snyder also offered insight into JTV’s five current investment themes – seamless customer journeys; next-gen aviation operations & enterprise tech; reimagining the accommodation experience; innovation in loyalty, distribution & revenue; and sustainable travel – all of which were developed in consultation with the airline.

The success of JTV’s approach is highlighted by the fact that it has invested in more than 30 startup companies since its launch six years ago. “A sweet spot is around Series A,” Snyder said, “but if we find really promising founders that are at a seed or at an earlier stage we love to at least have a conversation and identify places where we can partner and help one another grow.”

Snyder also offered insight into the organisation’s innovation sprint process, as well as a selection of the biggest success stories from JTV’s growing portfolio of startup investments.

Our Corporate Partners can watch a full recording of this presentation in the members area of the FTE Innovation & Startup Hub website. Interested in joining? Contact us to learn more about our low-cost membership options >>

Geneva Airport: Turning innovative ideas into real-world products and services

The second innovation keynote was delivered by Hamidul Huq, Innovation Project Manager at Geneva Airport, who presented on how to build an environment to stimulate ideas and transform them into new products and services.

Huq shared how GVA focuses on pragmatic innovation, adjacent innovation and transformational innovation as part of its overall innovation strategy, and outlined how the airport embraces an open innovation concept. “We have talent at Geneva Airport but there is also talent outside the airport, and we look at how we can work together in a systematic way to create value for the airport, for the partner, and maybe find new opportunities and new markets for the partner and ourselves.”

This approach involves engaging with fellow innovators from within the industry, including other airports, as well as external innovators from other verticals. GVA also has partnerships in place with universities and often encourages students to put forward ideas to help solve challenges posed by the airport.

Huq also focused on the importance of innovation culture. During the interactive Q&A session after his presentation, Huq stated the value of having the support of the leadership team in order to help support the implementation of a culture of innovation throughout the organisation.

New startup members deliver quick-fire pitches

The members-only virtual event also provided an opportunity for four new startup members to pitch their products and services to our Corporate Partners. InterLnkd outlined how its pioneering platform can seamlessly link with customer bookings to provide its partners with a new and cost-free ancillary revenue stream; Plain Sight presented on how its technology for airports and other travel partners can help guests make new business connections while creating new revenue-generation opportunities; Moonware shared how it can automate and optimise ground operations in airports and vertiports to create a more efficient and greener industry; and SeeTrue explained how it can revolutionise the current airport security screening process with artificial intelligence technology.

Our Corporate Partners can watch the full startup pitches in the members area of the FTE Innovation & Startup Hub website. Interested in joining? Contact us to learn more about our low-cost membership options >>

Join the air transport industry’s global innovation network

The FTE Innovation & Startup Hub continues to grow and our portfolio of Corporate Partners includes the likes of Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, CVG Airport, NEOM, VINCI Airports, Pittsburgh Airport, Team ABC, Tampa International Airport, Miami International Airport, Schiphol Group, NAS, Marubeni America Corporation and Aeroporti di Roma.

Our Corporate Partner membership includes access to our online directory of 380+ approved startup members, virtual and in-person members-only events, a video archive of previous virtual events and webinars, delegate passes for FTE’s conferences and expos, and much more.

Interested in joining as a Corporate Partner? Contact us to learn more about our low-cost membership options >>