TBM Staff - Mumbai
InterLnkd emerged victorious amidst fierce competition on the final day of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024, securing the top spot in the third ATM Start-up Pitch Battle, organised in collaboration with Intelak. Originating from the UK, InterLnkd specialises in leveraging specific data points and an intelligent matching engine to forge connections between the travel and hospitality realms and the fashion, beauty, and retail sectors.
This year’s competition saw a significant surge in participation, with 33 travel start-ups vying for recognition, marking a remarkable 158% increase compared to last year’s entries. Among the finalists were ClearQuote Technologies ME Ltd, stayK, and InterLnkd, who presented their innovative solutions to a distinguished panel of judges comprising Sarah Saddouk, Director of Innovation at Entrepreneur.com, and Mohammad Khoori, Ventures Team member at Emirates Group.
Barry Klipp, Co-Founder and CEO, InterLnkd, elucidated the company’s pioneering role as the premier entity linking the travel and hospitality industries with fashion, beauty, and retail, thereby facilitating additional revenue streams for the former and targeted sales opportunities for the latter.
Klipp remarked, “Through the utilization of specific data points and a unique intelligent matching engine powered by AI algorithms, InterLnkd seamlessly connects thousands of travel and hospitality bookings with a myriad of products from fashion, beauty, and retail, resulting in incremental revenue streams for all parties involved.”
Reflecting on the significance of entrepreneurship and innovation in the travel sector, Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director, Arabian Travel Market, emphasised the platform provided by the pitch battle for emerging brands to showcase their groundbreaking solutions. She underscored the pivotal role of entrepreneurship in driving transformative changes in the industry, fostering creativity, enhancing traveler experiences, streamlining business operations, and fostering sustainable, culturally enriching ventures that positively impact local communities.
Curtis also expressed gratitude to Intelak, a leading technology and innovation hub in Dubai, for their partnership, highlighting their commitment to empowering startups with the necessary education, mentorship, tools, and resources to navigate the complexities of business challenges.
The current edition of ATM, the largest to date, will conclude today after four days of insightful industry deliberations and unparalleled networking opportunities spanning the MICE, leisure, luxury, and corporate travel sectors. The closing sessions will spotlight the next generation of talent in travel and tourism, featuring discussions on career-building opportunities and networking events tailored for future industry leaders.
