Marisa Garcia Panasonic Avionics has partnered with Silicon Valley-based tech accelerator Plug and Play Tech Centre to find and nurture the startups who will help shape tomorrow’s Travel & Hospitality space.
Plug and Play has been making big moves in travel, including a special session with IATA to demonstrate to members the possibilities for air travel improvements.
The two companies announced that they will collaborate on a mission to discover, support, and scale technologies which will define the future of travel and hospitality.
“Using Panasonic Avionic’s extensive travel experience, Plug and Play will accept 20-30 startups in each of its two Travel & Hospitality classes of 2016. Startups accepted into the three-month program will receive mentor opportunities with leaders in the travel & hospitality space across all verticals including hotels, airlines, online travel agencies, cruise lines, and global distribution systems,” Panasonic Avionics explains in its announcement.
Huge Influence
“At Panasonic Avionics, we are constantly looking for new ways in which we can improve the passenger experience. Being part of this strategic venture with Plug and Play will help us quickly identify new opportunities to bring future innovations to the travel experience,” says Chris Lundquist, Vice President of Corporate Strategy, Business Development and OEM Management at Panasonic Avionics.
“Our mission is to source innovative technologies that will complement Panasonic Avionics’ existing products and services as they relate to IFE,” says said Amir Amidi, Managing Partner and Director of the Travel & Hospitality Vertical. “Ultimately Panasonic’s market reach gives them a huge influence over the passenger experience on almost every commercial aircraft around the world. We hope to play a positive role in enhancing their offering and strengthening their position as a market leader in the IFE space.”
