Hospitality UPGRADE Award
The Hospitality UPGRADE Award is an award dedicated to start-ups from all over Europe which provide innovative and forward-thinking solutions contributing to the entire value chain, from hotel development to hotel operations.
Start-ups are eligible to take part:
✅ which were founded within the past five years
✅ that can demonstrate a scalable business model
✅ whose market activities are innovative and growth orientated
Change will not happen without the courage, the visions and the perseverance of young people who are shaping the future. The ongoing transformation is affecting all sectors, and ours is no exception. This is where we want to make a difference with the prize that we are offering.
Hospitality UPGRADE Award 2025
Applications open until August 4
The search is on for the most innovative business ideas in the hospitality industry. In cooperation with Hospitality Pioneers, the 196+ forum Munich is announcing the ninth edition of the Hospitality UPGRADE Award for start-ups. The award will be presented on October 8 as part of the renowned industry conference at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof with the support of Mews.
More visibility, more exchange, more opportunities
In 2025, the competition is stepping up its game with enhanced presentation opportunities for applicants and an exciting new highlight: For the first time, up to 10 selected start-ups will be invited to take part in the exclusive curators' meeting with a networking dinner in early September on the EUREF-Campus in Berlin. Over the past years, this platform has become an intensive forum for exchanging innovative ideas in the hospitality sector – with leading experts and decision makers from hospitality, real estate, tech, and finance. Involving the start-ups in this dialogue in 2025 raises the bar and fosters direct, curated exchange with mentors from the network.
The competition is looking for European start-ups offering smart, sustainable, and market-ready solutions across the entire hotel value chain – from development and construction to hotel and accommodation operations. The application deadline is August 4. Applications can be submitted at: Hospitality Pioneers.
Christian Fiedler, Managing Director of Hospitality Pioneers and spokesperson for both the curators and expert jury, says: “The hospitality industry thrives on passion, transformation, and bold ideas. The UPGRADE Award showcases exactly these qualities – it brings innovation to life and offers young visionaries a real chance to shape the future of our industry. We are especially excited to have Mews on board – a true thought leader – as a partner supporting this award and sending a strong signal for the innovative power of our sector.”
How it works:
Preliminary round
If documents are complete, applicants will be invited to present virtually on August 12 or 13. Here, the top 10 start-ups will be selected for the intermediate round.
Intermediate round
On September 10, the top 10 will present their solutions to a top-class Advisory Board at the EUREF Campus in Berlin. The best 5 pitches will get a ticket to the grand final. They will pitch live for the win on the main stage of the 196+ forum Munich on October 8, in front of a jury. As in previous years, both the curators and the jury will consist of interdisciplinary experts from various industries.
Finalists will receive:
- Invitation to the PKF hospitality group’s Expo Real Dinner at Seehaus Munich on October 7
- Full-day ticket to the 196+ forum Munich including an exhibition space and participation in the gala evening on October 8
- Visibility across all communication channels of the organizers
- Podcast features with Hospitality Pioneers
The winner will receive:
- The "Hospitality UPGRADE Award"
- Free participation in the 196+ forum Munich 2026 including gala and exhibition space
- One-year free membership in the AK (Arbeitskreis) Hotel Real Estate Association, including access all four annual meetings along with networking dinners in the DACH region
- Invitations to exclusive industry events such as the 196+ forum Vienna 2025 and a 196+ roundtable of their choice in 2026
Want to know more? Contact us
Winner 2024
Congratulations to worcay for winning the Hospitality UPGRADE Award 2024!
Worcay: The matching platform that connects travel communities with companies that are looking for staff – perfect for anyone who wants to travel cheaply and is looking for a temporary job.
The prize was awarded together with Hospitality Pioneers and in cooperation with GIRA.
Other finalists in alphabetical order
Delicious Data: Uses AI and automation to reduce food waste in the food sector, in order thus to improve sustainability in the F&B and catering industry.
Fahrrad-Hotels: The platform offers suitable accommodation, route planners and cool extras for cycle tours in Europe, making it easier for leisure cyclists to plan their trips.
turn of beauty: What about sustainable showering? Using smart dosing devices and natural shower balls for an environmental-friendly experience - and without any microplastics.
Whispers: With an AI co-pilot and data-based insights for smarter hotel controlling that enables decisions to be taken to achieve better results.
Advisory Board 2024:
Jannik De Winter, PT1
Madlen Dietrich, Werner-von-Siemens Centre
Petra Emmerlich, Scandic Hotels
Wolfgang Gattringer, Fairmas
Harro Grimmer, ProjektPuls
Olga Heuser, DialogShift
Joe Mezger, GlobalPoints Network
Nik Riesmeier, Founders Foundation
Henning Schneekloth-Plöger, Lindner Hotels
Tobias Siegel, PKF hospitality group
Anika Tammling, Union Investment Real Estate
Patrick Theis, Drees & Sommer
Holger Tielesch, Gira
Hilda K. R. Weit, little BIG hotels
The Hospitality UPGRADE Award 2024 is powered by GIRA.
This is what two of the members of the Advisory Board said about the finalists:
Petra Emmerlich, Scandic Hotels: “It is impressive to see how innovatively AI and sustainability have been thought through and developed in the projects that were submitted. This is a remarkable demonstration that it is possible to successfully combine being environmentally friendly and making business models successful.”
Jannik De Winter, PT1: “In addition to many start-ups which are addressing sustainability and the potential for optimisation in the operation of a hotel, we also saw interesting business ideas that dealt with the real estate properties themselves. Among other things, this involved energy supply and consumption, a topic that is already attracting a great deal of attention in the residential property sector and is now also becoming more and more relevant for commercial real estate properties.”
All the finalists attended the entire 196+ forum Munich programme, including the gala evening and they also benefited from a place in the exhibitor area. The PKF hospitality group invited all the finalists to network with industry representatives in the Seehaus restaurant in Munich on the evening before, on 8 October. In addition, a speed dating event with ten experts from the hotel and property industry was arranged and Hospitality Pioneers published podcasts with all five finalists.