Travel startups from across the world will have the opportunity to showcase themselves to a global audience once again when the Global Startup Pitch, by WiT, Phocuswright and PhocusWire, returns for its 2026 edition.
Now in its fifth year, the competition is calling for entries from four regions, Asia Pacific, Emerging Markets, Europe and North America, in two categories:
- Seedup: Under three years old, having raised no more than $5 million
- Scaleup: Three to eight years old, having raised no more than $10 million
The Grand Finals will be held at Phocuswright Europe in Barcelona, June 15 to 17. The winners of each region also win spotlight presentation opportunities at WiT Singapore, taking place from September 30 to October 2, and The Phocuswright Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from November 17 to 19.
“Innovation in travel doesn’t come from ideas alone—it comes from founders willing to challenge assumptions and scale with intent. Global Startup Pitch is where those founders are tested, showcased and accelerated in front of the people who can truly move the needle,” said Yeoh Siew Hoon, founder of WiT.
Pete Comeau, managing director of Phocuswright, added, “Global Startup Pitch continues to spotlight the most promising innovators from every corner of the travel ecosystem and beyond. It’s more than a competition—it’s a gateway for founders to build relationships with industry leaders, investors and partners who can help take their ideas global.”
Deadline for entries is April 1. Finalists will be announced in May to prepare for the Grand Finals in Barcelona.
Last year, nine winners emerged from the global competition:
Asia Pacific
Emerging Markets
North America
Europe
Wildcard
Replyr and PassiveBolt won the People’s Choice awards when they presented at WiT Singapore last October.
This year’s Global Startup Pitch is supported by American Express Global Business Travel, a Phocuswright Strategic Partner of Innovation.
Past sponsors and supporters have included JetBlue Ventures, Amadeus, Yanolja Cloud, Stripe, Netactica, Cambon Partners, MakeMyTrip, Velocity Ventures and Amazon Web Services.
This story originally appeared on WiT.