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By Nithyakala Neelakandan
Published on June 21, 2024
Ingram Micro India has announced a strategic partnership with IDS Next, Asia’s leading hospitality software provider, aiming to enhance technological offerings in the hospitality sector. This collaboration is set to deliver comprehensive, hospitality-focused solutions by integrating Ingram Micro's extensive technology services with IDS Next's cutting-edge software.
As a technology aggregator, Ingram Micro India will support both upcoming and operational hotels. Their role includes the aggregation, integration, and implementation of information technology, cybersecurity, audio-video, and physical security infrastructure. Additionally, they offer customized technology solutions tailored to mid- and high-end hotels. This OEM-agnostic approach allows clients to choose the solutions that best meet their needs, providing flexibility and personalized service.
IDS Next, on the other hand, brings its extensive expertise in hospitality software solutions. The partnership spans all hospitality verticals they serve, including hotels, restaurants, banquets, leisure, and wellness. IDS Next will provide enterprise software solutions while Ingram Micro India complements these offerings with end-to-end services, ensuring a seamless integration of hardware and technology.
Navneet Singh Bindra, SVP & Chief Country Executive of Ingram Micro India, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “Ingram Micro India's foray into the hospitality vertical aligns well with IDS Next's commitment to providing innovative solutions for all facets of the hospitality industry. We are confident that this partnership will drive excellence and bring about a technology-led transformation in the hospitality sector.”
Echoing this sentiment, Binu Mathews, CEO of IDS Next, highlighted the benefits of the collaboration, saying, “By combining our prowess in hospitality software solutions with the unparalleled reach of Ingram Micro India, we aim to together deliver holistic solutions that elevate the technological experience for hospitality businesses.”
The partnership enables Ingram Micro to offer a wide range of solutions to hospitality businesses across India. This includes IT products and full-stack cloud and on-premise software from IDS Next. IDS Next remains the only company covering an extensive range of hospitality verticals, offering both back-end and front-end solutions. Their services cover everything from contactless check-in, front office management, and guest requests to housekeeping management, payroll, finance, inventory management, and procurement.
This partnership marks a significant step forward in enhancing the technological infrastructure of the hospitality sector. With Ingram Micro’s comprehensive services and IDS Next’s robust software solutions, the collaboration is poised to reshape the landscape of hospitality in India, bringing about a technology-led transformation that promises improved efficiency and guest experiences.
About Ingram Micro
Ingram Micro is a leading technology company in the global information technology ecosystem. With a reach extending to nearly 90% of the global population, they play a vital role in the worldwide IT sales channel, connecting technology manufacturers and cloud providers with a diversified base of business-to-business technology experts. Through their AI-powered digital platform, Ingram Micro Xvantage™, they offer a comprehensive business-to-consumer-like experience that integrates hardware and cloud subscriptions, personalized recommendations, instant pricing, order tracking, and billing automation. Learn more at www.ingrammicro.com.
About IDS Next
IDS Next is the largest hospitality solutions provider in emerging markets, serving customers in over 50 countries with award-winning software. They streamline both front and back-office hospitality operations, providing full-stack ERP solutions for hotels, restaurants, leisure, and wellness sectors, and integrating with over 350 leading technology partners. With over 35 years of experience, IDS Next ensures secure operations with PA DSS-certified and GDPR-compliant solutions, powering 300,000+ rooms, 220+ hotel chains, 25,000+ POS outlets, and 300+ leisure venues globally. Learn more at www.idsnext.com.
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By Nishang Narayan
Published on July 3, 2025
XECH is making bold strides in its retail journey with the opening of its latest Experience Centre in Ahmedabad, located at Dhanlaxmi Complex, Ashram Road, Usmanpura. Designed to provide an immersive, hands-on shopping experience, the store caters to walk-in customers, resellers, and corporate buyers alike. This is XECH’s third major retail expansion, following the successful debut of its Hyderabad Experience Centre on 31st May, 2025, at Rudram Towers, PG Road, Secunderabad, and its flagship outlet in Pune which launched on 19th October, 2023.
The Ahmedabad inauguration saw participation from the company’s leadership team and local channel partners, making it a standout moment for tech enthusiasts and the retail community in western India.
Each of XECH’s stores is strategically set in high-growth urban centres, functioning as brand hubs where customers can explore the expanding range of lifestyle tech products, smart gadgets, and premium corporate gifting solutions. With robust expansion plans in place, XECH is targeting a 2X revenue growth this fiscal year, driven by its omni-channel approach, innovative product portfolio, and scalable business model. These Experience Centres are central to XECH’s goal of bridging the digital-physical divide — creating spaces where quality, speed, and tangible engagement meet.
Speaking on the expansion, Mr. Pranay Punjabi, Founder and CEO of XECH Technologies Pvt. Ltd., shared,
“Each city plays a strategic role in our retail vision. Pune gave us our first physical touchpoint, Hyderabad validated our scale strategy in a dynamic tech market, and Ahmedabad will strengthen our presence in western India — connecting us to customers who value smart, dependable tech. These are more than just stores; they’re brand experience hubs where people can interact with our innovations firsthand. We’re focused on making practical, well-designed technology accessible to those who need it — whether at home, work, or in business.”
Shoppers visiting these stores can explore XECH’s entire tech ecosystem, including its bestsellers and upcoming launches, all in an interactive setting. From portable kettles and cordless vacuum cleaners to Bluetooth clocks, eye massagers, tyre inflators, and garment steamers, XECH’s range is sharply focused on addressing real-world needs with intuitive, multi-functional, and thoughtful tech — equally suited for individual users and corporate gifting.
To celebrate the Ahmedabad launch, XECH is offering an exclusive 10% in-store discount throughout July, inviting customers to experience their innovations firsthand.
Looking ahead, XECH plans to continue expanding its retail footprint across India in the coming quarters, building more such immersive spaces that blend tactile experiences with the convenience of modern retail.
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.
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