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By Nishang Narayan
Published on July 4, 2024
Air India, India's premier global airline, has teamed up with IBS Software, a leading provider of SaaS solutions for the travel industry, to digitally transform its expanding air cargo operations. The selection of IBS Software's iCargo platform marks a significant step in Air India's commitment to enhancing its digital infrastructure and supporting its growth plan.
The iCargo solution will allow Air India to digitize end-to-end cargo management, integrating various operations from sales to billing into a single, cohesive platform. This integration aims to streamline processes and improve decision-making capabilities, driving efficiency across the board.
Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer at Air India, emphasized the importance of this transformation, stating, "Air India is on a journey to reaffirm its position as a global leader in aviation and establish a foundation for future growth. Air cargo is a key driver of our roadmap for future growth, and technology will be at the core of it."
Somit Goyal, CEO of IBS Software, shared his excitement about the partnership, saying, "Partnering with Air India is a proud moment for IBS Software. The Indian aviation market is on a significant upswing, and we are excited to support Air India's ambitious transformation goals with our market-leading digital platform for the air cargo industry."
The first complete implementation of iCargo is scheduled for delivery within nine months, promising immediate benefits to Air India's operations. Following phases will introduce additional value-added capabilities, further enhancing Air India's cargo services. This initiative aligns with India's target of handling ten million tonnes of air cargo annually by 2030.
For more information on how iCargo is transforming airline cargo management, visit the IBS Software website.
About IBS Software: IBS Software is a global leader in SaaS solutions for the travel industry, managing critical operations for customers in aviation, hospitality, tour and cruise, and energy resources industries. With a comprehensive portfolio covering fleet and crew operations, aircraft maintenance, passenger services, loyalty programs, and air cargo management, IBS Software is at the forefront of digital transformation in the travel sector. Operating from 17 offices worldwide, IBS Software continues to drive innovation and efficiency in its clients' operations.
About Air India: Founded by JRD Tata, Air India has been a pioneer in India's aviation sector since its first flight in 1932. With a vast domestic network and international connections to the USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Far-East, South-East Asia, Australia, and the Gulf, Air India is a prominent player in global aviation. Rejoining the Tata group in January 2022, Air India is undergoing a significant transformation under the Vihaan.AI initiative, aiming to become a world-class airline with an Indian heart. As a member of Star Alliance, Air India offers seamless connectivity and top-notch facilities to passengers worldwide.
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Published on June 26, 2025
Vienna-based AI startup Chatlyn has raised €8 million in Series A funding, as it sets out to build what it calls the "AI brain for hotels"—a powerful communication and operations platform that is transforming how hotels engage with guests across every touchpoint. The round was led by Smedvig Ventures and saw participation from notable investors including AnyDesk founder Andreas Burike, Blaguss Group, and hospitality-focused angels. An innovation grant was also awarded by FFG, Austria's research and development agency.
Chatlyn’s platform is already used by over 1,000 properties across 30 countries, including luxury brands like St. Regis Mauritius, Singer Palace Rome, and InterContinental Vienna. The company recently opened a new Dubai office, strengthening its presence in the fast-growing Middle East market.
"We’re building an AI that understands hospitality like a concierge and never sleeps," said Nicolas Vorsteher, CEO & Co-founder, Chatlyn. "Our goal is to eliminate missed opportunities and bring back meaningful guest interactions—instantly, intelligently, and in over 35 languages."
Chatlyn tackles one of the hotel industry's biggest pain points: fragmented guest communication across multiple channels like WhatsApp, Booking.com, Airbnb, SMS, and email. This chaos leads to missed revenue, frustrated staff, and unhappy guests.
Chatlyn consolidates these platforms into a single AI-powered hub that doesn’t just automate responses—it learns the brand voice, understands context, and handles everything from booking inquiries to multilingual review replies.
AI Visual Webchat: Guests can book rooms via chat, see real-time prices, and complete reservations—all within a conversation.
98% Open Rates: WhatsApp-based messaging far outperforms traditional email marketing.
Full Channel Integration: Only platform that combines Airbnb, Booking messenger, social, email, SMS, and more.
Language Mastery: Real-time translation in 35+ languages, handling 70%+ of inquiries autonomously.
"Our AI assistant handles over 70% of queries in English, German, Arabic, and more—freeing our team to focus on delivering exceptional service," said Garry Loefgen, Head of Commercial at InterContinental Vienna.
"Chatlyn is poised to lead hospitality’s biggest transformation since online booking," said Freddie Kalfayan, Principal at Smedvig Ventures.
The new funds will be used to:
Develop AI Booking Assistant for seamless omnichannel bookings.
Expand into APAC, UAE, and wider Europe, cementing market leadership.
Double the AI and development team, enhancing both platform depth and consultative services for hotels.
"We’re not just automating—our AI anticipates needs and creates magical guest moments,” added Michael Urbanek, CTO & Co-founder.
Funding Raised: €8M Series A
Properties Served: 1,000+ in 30 countries
Founded: Late 2022
Top Integrations: Oracle Opera, Mews, Protel by Planet, Apaleo, Clock PMS
Recognition: World Travel Awards 2024 – Best Chatbot Solution Provider
Key Clients: The Royal Stable Dubai, InterContinental Vienna, Le Grand Bellevue Gstaad
Chatlyn’s momentum signals a new era of smart hospitality, where AI doesn’t replace staff—it empowers them to deliver faster, more meaningful guest experiences.
Published on June 23, 2025
Otelier, the hospitality data platform, has unveiled a revamped version of its budgeting and forecasting solution TruePlan, designed specifically for the hotel industry. With a refreshed user interface and enhanced functionality, the platform aims to help hotel operators replace cumbersome spreadsheets with a more streamlined and collaborative financial planning experience.
Developed in response to customer feedback, the new TruePlan supports real-time data sync, detailed forecasting, and rapid onboarding, enabling hotel finance teams to move “from data to decisions” faster than ever.
Russell Meek, Senior Director of Product Strategy at Otelier, shared, “Budgeting and forecasting should be powerful, not painful. We’ve rebuilt TruePlan to be faster, scalable, and aligned with the real-world needs of today’s hotel finance teams.”
The updated platform allows daily-level forecasting, bulk action tools, and pre-loaded financial drivers relevant to the hospitality industry. It also fosters cross-department collaboration, reducing revisions and delays, while enabling users to shorten budgeting cycles by up to 30%.
Key features include:
Modern user interface for intuitive use
Self-service onboarding
Built-in collaboration tools
Power BI integration for dynamic reporting
Integration with PMS, labour, BI, and accounting systems for live data planning
TruePlan is built on Otelier’s centralised integration framework, which ensures synchronised data flow across various hospitality tech solutions such as accounts payable automation, financial reconciliations, and night audit compliance.
This latest launch marks another step in Otelier’s mission to optimise hotel performance, following its strategic partnership with Repay Holdings last year to enhance payment and financial workflows across the industry.
With TruePlan, Otelier is not only improving financial forecasting but also redefining the way hoteliers collaborate and make critical planning decisions.
Published on June 16, 2025
Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) has made a powerful debut at VivaTech 2025, Europe’s premier startup and tech showcase, by leading a delegation of 18 of Hong Kong’s most promising innovators in AI, robotics, healthtech, greentech, and fintech.
The delegation was hosted at the Hong Kong Tech Pavilion, co-organised with Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), highlighting a unified effort to bridge the innovation ecosystems of Hong Kong and France.
This milestone participation marks HKSTP’s mission of taking home-grown talent global and bringing international opportunities back to Asia. VivaTech provided an ideal launchpad to form meaningful partnerships and adapt breakthrough technologies for evolving global markets.
Standout Innovations from Hong Kong at VivaTech 2025:
Ailytics: Winner of the EDF Startup Challenge and named among the Top 30 VivaTech Innovations, thanks to its AI-powered video analytics for safety and efficiency in heavy industries.
AQUMON and Midas Analytics: Nominated as Top 12 FinTech Trail for their advanced AI-driven data solutions.
Imsight, OKOsix, and Vismed: Finalists in the Tech for Change Award, recognized for innovative strides in cancer diagnostics, biomaterials, and medical training, respectively.
Strategic Partnerships Formed:
Westwell Technology partnered with Logicor, a leading European logistics provider, to co-host an innovation showcase on autonomous driving and green logistics in Paris.
PointFit announced a collaboration with Kinomap, a French indoor-training platform, bringing wearable fitness tech to Europe.
Adding to this momentum, HKSTP signed a partnership agreement with Startup Genome, further committing to global ecosystem building through cross-border networking and innovation-centric events.
Hilda Chan, Chief Marketing Officer at HKSTP, shared,
“Hong Kong’s innovation scene is ripe with global potential. With deep connectivity, globally fluent talent, and trusted systems, we’re enabling new tech frontiers to rise from Asia, and VivaTech is a key milestone in that journey.”
The delegation arrives at a time when both France and Hong Kong are stepping up as global I&T leaders—France through its AI unicorn ambitions, and Hong Kong as the 2nd most innovative economy globally, according to WIPO.
To continue this global engagement, HKSTP is hosting EPIC 2025—the Elevator Pitch Competition—in November in Hong Kong. With US$100 million in targeted investment funding, and over 600 applicants from 47 economies in previous years, the competition is open for entries till 17 June 2025: https://epic.hkstp.org
Founded in 2001, HKSTP has nurtured over 2,300 tech companies from 25+ countries, including 13 unicorns. It supports innovations across AI, healthtech, fintech, smart city, and more via its major hubs—Science Park, InnoCentre, and InnoParks in Hong Kong and its Shenzhen branch. With access to labs, funding, and global networks, HKSTP aims to anchor innovation as a pillar of Hong Kong’s economic future.
From Paris to Hong Kong, HKSTP is redefining how tech talent and ecosystems connect—and the world is watching.
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