VIDEO: JetBlue Tech Ventures on a new focus for airlines

With a string of investments under its wing, JetBlue Technology Ventures has become a pioneer in the aviation-investing-in-startups space in recent years.

Situated in the heart of the wider tech startup scene in San Francisco, JTV is a wholly owned subsidiary of the airline mothership and has a mission to "incubate, invest in and partner with early stage startups at the intersection of technology and travel."

The portfolio is growing, having nurtured and backed a string of companies including Redeam, Gladly, Lumo, Flyr, Mozio and Skyhour.

JetBlue is not alone in the concept of a major airline looking to startups as a way of finding new talent and discovering ideas, with International Airlines Group (British Airways et al), Lufthansa and others adopting similar models.

But, arguably, no other carrier has taken the idea on to the level of JetBlue.

PhocusWire caught up with JTV's managing director, Raj Singh, and Christina Heggie, investment principal, during The Phocuswright Conference in Los Angeles.

In the following video, both discuss what it is they are looking for with startups and general new technology trends that could have an impact on the business and the wider aviation world.