Start-Up Innovation Camp 2021

14-16 November 2021, Andermatt, Switzerland

26-30 APRIL 2021, ONLINE

The 5-day Start-Up Innovation Camp in April formed part of our new hybrid event “Moving Forward” an Innovation Festival by World Tourism Forum Lucerne. The Camp is an exclusive platform for start-ups to make valuable connections, showcase their solutions to the world and connect with investors. Learn more here.  

Innovation is a major force for growth and development, ensuring competitiveness and providing the ingredients for lasting success. With the Start-Up Innovation Camp, World Tourism Forum Lucerne seeks the most innovative business models from around the world to capture this potential. 

Selected by the jury, young entrepreneurs are invited to attend a full-day workshop in order to grow in their roles as business leaders and to receive valuable advice from experienced coaches. This provides a great opportunity to establish international contacts within a high-ranking audience and to push innovation to the next level.

success stories

Since our first Start-Up Innovation Camp back in 2015, we’ve seen several start-ups go on to achieve great success. Take a look at some of the top success stories from the past 5 years.

global himalayan expedition

Attending the Camp in 2017 was GHE’s first exposure to the world of tourism, as the startup has always considered themselves as an energy enterprise, rather than a tourism one. Post engagement with WTFL, GHE has been recognized at various other international forums, such as winning the Tourism for Tomorrow Award of WTTC in 2018 and the World Travel Awards at WTM in 2018, London. The startup is now expanding into 2 more countries in Asia and increased their impact expeditions 3-fold to electrify more remote villages of the Himalayas in 2019.

Bidroom

Joining Start-Up Innovation Camp was definitely a great success." With WTFL’s support and network, bidroom has grown into a world known online booking platform. In as little as four years since winning the Start-Up Innovation Camp, bidroom secured over 15 million EUR investment, including from the billionaire Samih Sawiris, founder of the Orascom Development Group. Bidroom won over 25 awards, like Best Travel Startup in the Netherlands, Best Grown Startup in Switzerland and best foreign startup in Turkey and were mentioned by Wired Magazine as one of the hottest startups of Europe. They have grown to over 90 employees and closed partnerships with established international companies, such as Visa, IHG and Wyndham.

Indian Start-Up Innovation Camp 2019

17-18 December 2019, Bangalore, India

WTFL Indian Start-Up Innovation Camp 2019 is our exclusive event, where we are looking for start-ups with the most innovative social impact-based potential in the Indian Subcontinent. We are here to unleash entrepreneurship with a focus on innovation and sustainability.

As a start-up finalist, you have the opportunity to present your business to high profile investors, industry experts and academics to get the global attention. Qualify yourself for "5 Minutes of Fame" on the main stage.

Not only you can meet other start-ups, you can interact with TATA Trusts, IHCL, Booking.com and other organizations active in the social impact space. Build strong networks and get an investor onboard! Find out more information here:

indian.startupcamp2019.wtflucerne.org

Swiss Start-Up Innovation Camp 2019

8 November 2019, Lucerne, Switzerland

WTFL Swiss Start-Up Innovation Camp is a one-day event of start-up pitches, coaching sessions, keynote speeches and workshops for entrepreneurs. This is not just another start-up competition - it is the exchange of ideas, the gathering of the youth and experienced leaders, as well as the push for innovation to the next level.

Swiss Start-Up Innovation Camp is also in line with the "Tourism Strategy of the Swiss Confederation" and supports its special focus on start-ups in order to improve the overall productivity of Swiss tourism.

Find out more information here: swiss.startup2019.wtflucerne.org

International Start-Up Innovation Camp 2019

1-2 May 2019, prior to World Tourism Forum Lucerne 2019, Switzerland

The 4th international WTFL Start-Up Innovation Camp was held prior to WTFL 2019 on 1-2 May. We received over 250 applications from 56 different countries around the world. The international jury selected 15 most innovative start-ups and we invited them to Lucerne, where they presented their business in a form of elevator pitch in front of the jury, industry leaders and active investors.

Start-ups also received coaching sessions with experienced experts in order to grow as young entrepreneurs and countless networking opportunities. The 5 winners pitched on the main stage of the World Tourism Forum Lucerne 2019, where they were also awarded with 20’000 USD by the sponsor of the category.

Find out more information here: innovation2019.wtflucerne.org

• Photos

• Summary

• Winners

• Finalists
  

Winners of Indian Start-Up Innovation Camp 2019

Winners of Swiss Start-Up Innovation Camp 2019

Winners of Start-Up Innovation Camp 2019

Winners of Swiss Start-Up Innovation Camp 2018

Winners of Start-Up Innovation Camp 2018

winners of Start-up Innovation Camp 2017

Start-Up Innovation Camp 2019 Partners

Past Events

• Start-Up Innovation Camp 2019: 1-2 May 2019, Lucerne, Switzerland

• Swiss Start-Up Innovation Camp 2018: 9 November 2018, Lucerne, Switzerland

• Start-Up Innovation Camp 2018: 12 September 2018, Langkawi, Malaysia

• Start-Up Innovation Camp 2017: 3-5 May 2017, Lucerne, Switzerland

• Start-Up Innovation Camp 2015: 23-24 April 2015, Lucerne, Switzerland