• Alef Hospitality has launched a hotel innovation lab for UAE-based startups working in the tourism, travel and hospitality sector. 
• Alef looks to support startups with innovative solutions in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI), hotel guest and employee experience, sustainability and renewable energy, food & beverage, and community services.
• Selected winners will gain access to a wide range of benefits, including mentoring, office spaces, access to Aleph's network of connections, and potential investment opportunities.

Press release

Leading independent hotel management company, Aleph Hospitality, has announced the launch of its hotel Innovation Lab to help drive innovation in the travel, tourism and hospitality as the industry recovers post pandemic.

The company is on the lookout for dynamic and innovative startups that are transforming the travel, tourism & hospitality sector, and that seek support on their journey from a dynamic, experienced, and entrepreneurial team of senior industry professionals.

“At Aleph Hospitality we operate with an entrepreneurial spirit in everything we do, and we pride ourselves on our culture of innovation. As a team we have been looking at ways to help drive innovation in travel, tourism and hospitality, in a time our industry needs it the most”, said Bani Haddad, Founder and Managing Director of Aleph Hospitality. “Through the Innovation Lab we want to support and promote entrepreneurs that are changing the face of our industry and offer them a springboard to launch and grow their business by providing office space, business support and advisory, product testing facilities and investment opportunities.”

Aleph Hospitality is looking to onboard the first start-ups in its Innovation Lab in the company’s headquarters in Dubai by the end of September 2021.UAE based start-ups - and international entrepreneurs willing to relocate to Dubai - with innovative products, solutions and/or technologies in the fields of Artificial intelligence (AI), hotel guest & employee guest experience, sustainability & renewable energy, food & beverage and/or community service(s) are encouraged to apply for the Innovation Lab.

Candidates can register their interest on the Aleph Hospitality website and the submission deadline is 2 September 2021. Shortlisted start-ups will be invited for a face-to-face meeting at the Aleph Hospitality offices in Dubai in September, with the finals taking place at the Arabian & African Hospitality Investment Conference (AHIC), the region’s largest and most prominent gathering for the hospitality investment community, from 20-22 September 2021 at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.

The selected winners will benefit from office space and business support at Aleph Hospitality’s new headquarters in Dubai, proof of concept opportunities across the company’s portfolio of managed hotels in the Middle East and Africa, coaching and mentoring by its talented team of experienced hospitality professionals, access to Aleph Hospitality’s vast network of hospitality, travel and tourism connections, and potential investment opportunities either through Aleph Hospitality or third-party investment, seed funding and, venture capital.