Accelerate@IATA is the first industry-owned travel tech accelerator where airlines and startups converge for innovation.
Accelerate@IATA is an innovation program launched in 2019 that aims to accelerate the pace of innovation in the air transport industry by bringing together startups, airlines, and other stakeholders to collaborate and develop new solutions.
The program is designed to connect airlines with innovative startups that have been vetted by IATA for their impactful solutions on the future of the industry and potential longevity. This will allow airlines to test new solutions and reach the pilot stage quicker. Members will have the opportunity to identify and select focus areas and startups in order to be at the leading edge of the industry and new technologies
Each group of selected startups will go through a dynamic program, where they will be granted unprecedented access to IATA Subject Matter Experts' mentor network, giving them a true innovation mindset to help them improve their solutions and scale to meet industry demand.
Each year, Accelerate@IATA plans to accelerate ~5 startups per batch, 20 – 30 startups per year. Every batch will be selected by IATA and member airlines based on industry priorities for 2023.
If you are a startup and interested in joining us, send us an email with information about your solution to accelerate@iata.org
Committed to supporting airlines as they continue their digital retailing journey, Accelerate@IATA has already launched Batch 0 in 2019 and Batch 1 in 2020, both focused on accelerating the solutions of NDC aggregators in order to help distribute more NDC content.
Batch "Restart" - 2021
For 2020, the program will operate 4 segments for a period of 1 month each, around the industry restart priorities.
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SEGMENT 1 (15 Sept - 15 Oct) - ANTICIPATE DEMAND :
Selected startups: 3Victors, Migacore, Flyr Labs, Airnguru, Prevedere, PredictHQ, Volantio You can access here to the Session Recording. |
SEGMENT 2 (8 Oct - 8 Nov) - STIMULATE DEMAND:
Selected startups: GoQuo, Caravelo, HiKoala, Plusgrade, Smartvel, Dohop, Deepair, AirBlackBox You can access here to the Session Recording. |
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SEGMENT 3 (22 Oct - 22 Nov) - PASSENGER CONFIDENCE:
You can access here to the Session Recording. |
SEGMENT 4 (10 Nov - 10 Dec) - OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY:
You can access here to the Session Recording. |
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SEGMENT 5 (28 Jan - 29 Mar) - CONTACTLESS & SEAMLESS PASSENGER JOURNEY:
You can access the list of startups through our Segment 5 Startup Booklet and Session Recording.
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SEGMENT 6 (21 Apr - 20 Jun) - HEALTH CREDENTIALS:
Selected startups: Mattr, Accredify, Convergence.tech, ixlayer, Evernym. |
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SEGMENT 7 ( 22 Jun - 20 Aug) - SUSTAINABILITY:
You can access the list of startups through our Segment 7 Startup Booklet and Session Recording. |
SEGMENT 8 (7 Jul - 5 Sep) - AI & DATA-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
You can access the list of startups through our Segment 8 Startup Booklet. |
Batch 1 - 2020
The focus areas for Batch 1 targeted offers and products within product differentiation covering the following areas: NDC, ONE Order, dynamic offerings, innovative payments and sustainability. In February 2020, 9 startups (30k, App in the air, Smooss, Bacarai, Deepair, WonderMiles, Ulysse, Aeronology, Airnguru) from around the world were selected based on their new solutions that can help airlines in these areas.
Prior to launch of Batch 1, the COVID-19 pandemic began and the batch was put on hold.
Batch 0 - 2019
The focus of Batch 0 was to accelerate NDC Capabilities, that addressed the industry’s current distribution limitations such as product differentiations, time-to-time market and access to full and rich air content and transparent shopping experience.
The following 7 startups participated in the program and addressed the following areas. For more information, check out Batch 0 report (pdf).
| Startup | Areas Addressed |
|---|---|
| Caravelo |
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| Duffel |
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| Kyte |
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| Migacore |
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| PK Fare |
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| Thomalex |
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| Winglet |
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Innovative solutions, tangible impact
At the end of Batch 0, 13 pilots and implementations were launched, with another 30+ in the pipeline!
JAL and Volantio: Smart Alerts
We are very fortunate to have been able to participate in the Accelerate@IATA program. We were introduced to Volantio, which today powers our Smart Alert notification. Over the course of the past 18 months, with frequent changes in flight schedules and air fares, we realized how travellers struggled to determine when is the right time to make a booking. We therefore wanted to keep engaging with customers who are not ready to book but show interests in specific routes. We also wanted to understand customers' intent to travel through analysing subscription and conversion data.
Our solution is Price Alert powered by Volantio. When users search for fares at the booking flow, they will see a Watch Prices button. This enables them to subscribe the price alert by simply typing in their email address. Price alert subscribers will be notified by email once the lowest fare of their selected itinerary is dropped compared to the previous 24 hours. We also send out a notice every 8 days when no price change has occurred. The "Book now" button on the email directly lands them to flight search result page of the same itinerary, thus reducing friction and improving conversion.
This would not have been possible without the help from Azim and his team at Volantio Team as well as IATA, and we are very grateful to them for providing us with such capabilities.
If your airline is interested in having their own success stories, contact us at accelerate@iata.org
Focus on Accelerate@IATA
What are the program deliverables?
Quickly facilitate pilots and implementations between airlines and startups who have interesting solutions and proven track records, targeting key industry business challenges.
What is the program roadmap?
- ACCELERATE: The primary objectives are to find solutions for airlines that accelerate standard development & adoption of standards, and stimulate competition to bring new entrants to the market.
- IDENTIFY & SELECT RELEVANT STARTUPS: Collaboratively, the partners define the focus of the program and select the startups that best fit their needs.
- MAP SOLUTION & DEMAND: During the 1-month program, IATA subject matter experts help the startups to develop innovative solutions to meet airline requirements and take care of the onboarding work, freeing up airline resources.
- IMPLEMENTATION: The goal is to start a pilot and implementation between new entrants and airline partners at the end of the program.
Accelerate@IATA will run 4 90-day ‘segments’ in 2022, with themes chosen by the airline members around both industry and their airline goals. Our accelerator supports selected startups through education, mentorship, and, potentially, with financing from corporate partners.
Find out more in the Accelerate@IATA brochure (pdf)
What are the benefits for airlines?
- Access to global, stage-agnostic startups and technology providers that have the potential to increase airline revenues, reduce costs, increase operational efficiency and build brand loyalty
- Savings on innovation costs compared to internal development
- Access to new technologies that meet the industry standards.
- Startups and technologies double vetted by IATA and Plug and Play to ensure they meet industry guidance/standards, and that the startups are financially viable.
- Focus on broad Industry Restart initiatives, tailored to airlines’ restart plans
- Shorter program reducing time to market
- Dedicated Accelerate Innovation Partner and Project Manager throughout the whole cycle
What are the benefits for startups?
- Access to IATA’s global network of airlines and value chain partners for pilot and implementation opportunities
- Access to expertise and market knowledge
- Industry mentorship
