Edition #91, Jan 26th

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Hi ,

With the temperature dropping here in Barcelona over the past week, it seems like cold season is upon us. And guess what: I got hit. So this week's newsletter will be shorter than usual as I try to recover from this cold. But stay tuned for next week's newsletter, which will contain some exciting new content!

Here are the latest travel industry news stories:

• Indian Railways' Green Future. Siemens Mobility just scored a major win with Indian Railways, landing the single largest locomotive order in the history of Siemens Mobility. That's right, 1,200 state-of-the-art, 9,000 horsepower are headed to India for serious freight hauling. But it's not just about the number of locomotives; it's also about the commitment length - 35 years of full-service maintenance. The locomotives will be assembled in Gujarat and maintained in four depots across India. This order is a game-changer for the railway sector and a big win for the environment, as it will help India achieve its goal of creating the world's largest green rail network. The Siemens Mobility team will use their platform to ensure these bad boys run like clockwork. It's a true partnership between Siemens and Indian Railways to transform the country's transportation sector and reduce CO2 emissions.

• Contactless Approach for Hospitality. Akia, the customer experience automation platform that's shaking up the hospitality industry, just raised $6 million in a Series A funding round. Consistently achieving 3x year-over-year growth since it launched in 2019, they are a game changer for the hospitality industry by streamlining processes and automating monotonous paperwork. With the current market conditions and ongoing staff shortages, Akia's contactless approach is in high demand and is helping thousands of businesses better serve their customers and increase efficiency. The company plans to use the funding to expand its reach and impact. "Akia is like the superhero of the hospitality industry. We're thrilled with Akia's momentum and have complete confidence in its leadership and long-term vision." said Jim Dai, Partner at Altos Ventures.

• Global Expansion and Digital Transformation. Ready to transform the hospitality scene, B2B SaaS company Onda has just announced its Series B funding round. With their integrated sales platform already dominating 60-70% of South Korea's online hotel and vacation rental market, they're now setting their sights on world domination. With the new funds, they're planning on accelerating their digital transformation efforts, developing systems to attract inbound travelers and expanding their reach overseas. Onda's CEO, Hyun-seok Oh, is leading the charge for their expansion into Southeast Asia, with plans to assist outbound Korean tourists in finding local hotels. It's a win-win for both hotels and travelers, and with investors believing in their "capacity and drive for growth," it's clear that Onda is a name to watch in the hospitality industry.

• Setting up a Glamping Empire. Spain-based camping startup Kampaoh secured €14 million to take their unique "glamping" business model to new heights and countries! Founded in 2016, Kampaoh works with campsites and offers a new type of camping that doesn't require guests to bring their own equipment or even set up their own tents. With this funding, Kampaoh plans to quickly expand by setting up 3,500 fancy tents in over 70 campgrounds, a 350% increase from the previous year. They also expect to exceed €30 million in sales this year and expand their business through Europe.

• Digital Tipping and Same-Day Pay Services. A Texas-based startup scored $4.25 million in seed funding. Grazzy is all about making life easier for hotels, bars, and restaurants with their digital tipping and same-day pay services. With Grazzy, customers can easily tip staff by scanning a QR code and the staff can access their tips instantly. The funding will also be used to integrate Grazzy's platform with property management systems and point-of-sale technology. This means guests get a P2P payment experience they enjoy, while businesses get enterprise-level branding, compliance, and reporting. With this funding, Grazzy is set to expand and bring its innovative services to even more large hotel brands, restaurant groups and salons looking to improve employee experience and reduce costs.

See you next week, Ana

Thank you for reading until the end.

The content of this newsletter is curated and published by Ana Metz, innovation expert, passionate about technology and excited about the future of travel.

If you are looking for the most disruptive startups in the travel industry right now, make sure to check out our Premium Report: “Top 100 Travel Startups” which might be relevant for you. 

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