Lufthansa Innovation Hub

✨ We’re celebrating 10 years of InTENtional Innovation at Lufthansa Innovation Hub. Yesterday, we hosted our InTENtional Innovation Fest, bringing together colleagues, partners, friends, and everyone who believes in us and our mission. ✨ 💚 InTENtionality is at the heart of everything we do here at Lufthansa Innovation Hub. During various content sessions, our experts shared their insights across a broad spectrum of fields and topics—ranging from Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) to web3 and gamification, to the art of Kishōtenketsu.  A special thank you to Anita Woelk, Kristian Siebenrock, Kolin S., and Tino Klaehne for offering our guests such a rich and comprehensive look into our work. 💡 A standout moment of the event was the panel discussion featuring experts from the broader travel and mobility tech ecosystem. This session offered us valuable insights into how technology is transforming aviation, viewed through the lens of both investors and startups. A big thank you to our panelists for sharing your expertise:  ⭐️ Stephen Snyder (Managing Director, Operations and Partnerships, JetBlue Ventures) ⭐️ Suzanna Chiu (Head of Amadeus Ventures, Amadeus) ⭐️ Claudia Wenzel (Data Project Portfolio Manager, Swiss International Air Lines) ⭐️ Diana Siegel (Chief Financial Officer, Electra.aero) ⭐️ Xavier Lagardere (Managing Director of Lufthansa Innovation Hub and Chief Data Officer & VP Innovation of Lufthansa Group) 💪 A special highlight of the event: We announced the spin-off of our venture Cosmos. Cosmos is a machine learning-driven platform designed to improve the collaboration between airlines and ground handling service providers. Thank you also to Uptrip, Modifly, cloopio, Swifty, and Pendle, as well as to our spun-off startups SQUAKE and NAVIT for showcasing how they create value not only for Lufthansa Group but for the entire industry. 🎉 Alongside the educational aspect, we certainly didn’t neglect the celebratory part of the evening. There was plenty of time to nurture old connections, forge new ones, soak in the beautiful late summer day at our stunning venue, and embrace the festive spirit. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to this amazing event and to all who joined us, making the day truly unforgettable. We’re just getting started. Here’s to the next 10 years—and beyond! 🚀 #LIH10 #InTENtionalInnovation Pictures: Izzy Dempsey

Curious about the investment strategies of top travel and mobility companies? Join us for an exclusive LinkedIn Live event with our Senior Research & Intelligence Analyst, Anna Schneider! 📆 Our annual Sector Attractiveness Report for Travel and Mobility Tech (TNMT) outlines key trends and shifts in the industry’s investment landscape. This year’s report, for the first time, chose to focus on corporate investments. We tracked the investments by 60 leading travel and mobility corporates in aviation, ground transport, hospitality, and online travel sectors, and categorized them based on the strategic priority of each individual investment. Here are the some of core messages we’ll discuss more deeply: → Investment dynamics and priorities vary across segments → Aviation focusses on operational efficiency and sustainability → AI as a (consistent) technology focus area Following the presentation, you'll have the opportunity to ask questions. ❓ Decoding corporate investment trends in travel and mobility tech 🎤 Anna Schneider, Senior Research and Intelligence Analyst at the Strategic Intelligence Team at Lufthansa Innovation Hub 📍 LinkedIn Live event 📆 Wednesday, October 30, 12-1pm CET The presentation will be streamed via LinkedIn. Register as a participant. On the day of the event you’ll receive a notification via LinkedIn – click on it to dial in. #TNMT #Innovation #Research #Investments #Travel #Mobility

🦄 Why have some of the biggest names in travel and mobility tech seen dramatic exits while new unicorns rise and fall at a surprising pace? 👀 At first glance, the total number of travel & mobility tech unicorns in 2021 (49) and 2024 (48) suggests that there have been few changes, but as this chart highlights, there have been significant yearly fluctuations. Notably, since 2021, thirteen companies have left the unicorn club, most of whom have achieved what many startups dream of: entering the public markets—typically the ideal exit for any ambitious tech company. While this seems like great news, a closer look reveals that much of this IPO (initial public offering) activity was fueled by SPAC mergers, which, while initially seen as an innovative financial engineering move, later proved to be a “cheap” workaround for the traditional IPO process. This method primarily benefited overhyped tech startups, particularly in mobility, where grand visions and PR campaigns often overshadowed actual business fundamentals. For a full breakdown of the waves of change to the TNMT unicorn club, check out our full article here! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e6indJeu #TNMT #Research #Travel #Mobility #Tech #Unicorn

Don't miss our LinkedIn Live event this Wednesday! 👀 #TNMT #Innovation #Research #Investments #Travel #Mobility

🚀 The tech ecosystem is where innovation thrives. Stefan Nothelfer, Director of Partnerships and New Business Ventures, explains how we at Lufthansa Innovation Hub work hand in hand with industry pioneers. Our New Business team unlocks new value pools by launching ventures for Lufthansa Group and the wider market. At the same time, we’re building the bridge between the tech ecosystem and Lufthansa Group by actively scouting for promising startups that offer cutting-edge solutions. With the launch of our Startup Gate platform, we’re taking it a step further — connecting startups with Lufthansa Group to source external innovation, tackle challenges, and drive impactful collaboration. 🤝 This year marks the 10th anniversary of our mission to lead the future of travel and aviation. We’re celebrating 10 Years of InTENtional Innovation at Lufthansa Innovation Hub — and we’re just getting started. → Check out the video below to learn more about how we are ‘InTENtionally collaborative’! #LIH10 #InTENtionalInnovation

🦄 The Travel & Mobility Tech unicorn landscape is evolving in 2024! While North America and Asia account for almost 70% of all TNMT unicorns, Europe is carving out a larger stake in the global scene, increasing its share of unicorns worldwide to 25% in the past two years. 🗣️ Two of the three companies that joined the TNMT unicorn club in 2024 are, indeed, European. These companies stand out for their classical travel-tech focus, unlike their more mobility-centric peers: Netherlands-based hospitality tech company Mews, which offers cloud-based property management software, as well as Blueground, the UK-based company providing fully furnished and flexible rentals for extended stays. 🌍 As we move through 2024, it’s clear that Europe's startup ecosystem is growing stronger, building on a foundation of sustainability, technology, and financial services to produce robust businesses. Read more insights here: → https://lnkd.in/e6indJeu #Unicorns #Innovation #StartupEcosystem #TNMT

🦄 Since mid-2021, we stepped back from analyzing and reporting on the Travel and Mobility Tech unicorn club. But now, in the latest edition of our TNMT newsletter, we’re diving back into a current snapshot of the billion-dollar startup landscape across travel and mobility. 👀 💸 #TNMT #Research #Travel #Mobility #Tech #Unicorn

Don't miss our LinkedIn Live event with our Senior Research & Intelligence Analyst, Anna Schneider! 👀 ❓ Decoding corporate investment trends in travel and mobility tech 🎤 Anna Schneider, Senior Research and Intelligence Analyst at the Strategic Intelligence Team at Lufthansa Innovation Hub 📆 Friday, October 18, 12-1pm CEST 📍 https://lnkd.in/eF9FKCNM #TNMT #Innovation #Research #Investments #Travel #Mobility

What do flying and art have in common? Both take you to new heights, challenge your imagination, and allow you to see the world from a different perspective. ✈️🎨 Klaus Walther, Head of Award Programme Development at Miles & More GmbH, has done just that and opened up new perspectives. With the Uptrip app, a joint team of Miles & More and the Lufthansa Innovation Hub have found an answer to the question of how to engage younger target groups in a fun, long-term way. 🤝 Who doesn't love collecting breathtaking images of incredible places or fascinating aeroplanes? And the incentive is just as enticing: once you have collected enough matching images, great rewards await our Miles & More members! If that doesn't get your creative juices flowing! 🤸♀️ In our three questions, Klaus tells us how he identifies trends, how NFTs are created for Uptrip to increase engagement, and what values are most important to him at Miles & More GmbH. 💙 #milesandmore #insights #workingatmilesandmore 

👀 When analyzing the investment strategies of Asia’s top players, a clear divergence from global trends emerges... 💸 Investment priorities are categorized into four areas: Operational Efficiency, Market Expansion, Sustainability Impact, and Digital Consumer Experience. 🔧 Among these, Asian corporations are increasingly focusing on improving the digital consumer experience in travel. In 2024, the proportion of deals aimed at enhancing this experience is expected to surge from 6% in 2023 to 18%, nearly 2.5 times higher than the global average, despite a forecasted decline in the total number of deals. 📱 This growing emphasis signals a strategic shift towards a digital-first approach, recognizing that the future of travel in Asia will be increasingly personalized and seamless, especially given the region’s mobile-first population. By investing in technology that simplifies and enhances every step of the traveler’s journey—from booking to post-travel engagement—Asian companies are positioning themselves to lead in delivering smarter, more intuitive travel experiences. This focus reflects a long-term vision of travel as a tech-driven industry, reshaping how consumers interact with services across the travel ecosystem. Read for more concrete examples of what’s been invested in: → https://lnkd.in/e9MBj9QR #Asia #Investments #ConsumerExperience #digital #TNMT