Hospitality – The Hospitality Show e WMF – We Make Future are launching the new edition of the contest “Startup for Hospitality”, dedicated to startups in the HoReCa sector with innovative projects that contribute to the evolution of the sector. The winning startup will participate in WMF – We Make Future, in June 2026.
“Startup for Hospitality”: that’s what it’s all about.
Hospitality – The Hospitality Show., the leading international trade fair for hospitality and catering in Italy, and WMF – We Make Future, International Fair and Festival on Innovation: AI, Tech & Digital, launch the new edition of the Startup for Hospitality contest which focuses on solutions capable of transforming operations and customer experience, accelerating the evolution of HoReCa.
Carried out with the collaboration of Trentino Sviluppo, the competition is dedicated to startups that have already developed or intend to develop innovative solutions for HoReCa with concrete applications for hotels, restaurants, bars and hospitality facilities.
The call – open until Jan. 11, 2026 – aims to identify projects that can accelerate the evolution of the sector: from home automation and smart-room technologies to reservation management systems, from optimization of operational processes to sensor technology, to solutions for the guest experience, food & beverage tech,automation,energy efficiency and, more generally, all high-impact innovations dedicated to the world of professional hospitality. An opportunity to bring forth ideas that can truly transform the future of hospitality.
“Hospitality is undergoing a profound transformation in which technology and digital skills represent increasingly decisive strategic levers. With Startup for Hospitality we want to support emerging entrepreneurship and enhance solutions capable of improving the work of operators and the quality of the experience offered to guests and travelers – comments Alessandra Albarelli, General Manager of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, organizing body of Hospitality – The Hospitality Show. – We firmly believe that the contamination between ideas, technologies and skills is the real driver of progress in the industry. Giving space to startups means investing in fresh visions, stimulating innovation and contributing to the growth of a more competitive, efficient and future-oriented hospitality ecosystem.”
The initiative was created precisely with the aim of promoting entrepreneurship and supporting the most promising realities in the technological and digital spheres, encouraging the introduction of solutions capable of innovating the hotellerie, catering and for the entire hospitality system.
“We are thrilled to renew this partnership with Hospitality, one of the most representative entities in the HoReCa exhibition landscape, because we share the vision of an industry that grows through technology, research and experimentation, – says Cosmano Lombardo, Founder and CEO of Search On Media Group and creator of the WMF. – With WMF, we have always worked to foster the spread of innovation and entrepreneurship, creating bridges between ecosystems and networking startups, companies and institutions. This call represents a new step in that direction: we want to offer young companies in this sector the opportunity to confront each other, accelerate their development and contribute in a concrete way to the future evolution of hospitality.”
The finals at Hospitality 2026
The five finalist startups will take part in the opening day of the 50thedition of Hospitality – The Hospitality Show (Feb. 2-5, 2026, Riva del Garda Fairgrounds): on Monday, Feb. 2, they will be the protagonists in the matching area of theHotel & Co Arena – Hall B3, where at 5 p.m. during the “pitch competition” they will have the opportunity to present themselves, tell about their project, meet with companies and stakeholders of the sector and confront more than 20,000 professional operators and more than 750 exhibitors of the HoReCa. Evaluating the projects will be a jury composed of representatives from Hospitality, WMF – We Make Future and Trentino Sviluppo.
The winning startup will be able to take part in the gala evening celebrating the important milestone of 50 editions of Hospitality. In addition, it will have the opportunity to participate in WMF – We Make Future, scheduled to take place at BolognaFiere June 24-26, 2026, where it will illustrate its project to an international audience that in 2025 recorded more than 73,000 attendees from more than 90 countries, with more than 700 exhibitors and sponsors, 3,000 startups and open innovation stakeholders , and more than 1,000 speakers from around the world.
To apply, simply fill out the online form by January 11, 2026.
Each startup is invited to identify one of twelve “future challenges” that their project intends to address. The challenges cover a broad spectrum of innovative fields-from smart cities to digital health, Industry 4.0 to smart mobility, climate tech to the future of work, immersive experiences and customer experience, planetary regeneration, cybersecurity, fintech and marketing.
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