WiT announced today that Amazon
Web Services (AWS), the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud
platform, is collaborating with WiT
Startup Pitch for the
third year running. AWS will provide over US$250,000 worth of technology
credits and support towards WiT Startup Pitch 2020 through the AWS Activate
program, which provides startups with tools and resources to help grow and
scale their businesses.

AWS supported the annual travel startup competition run in conjunction with the WiT Singapore conference in 2018 as well as 2019.

“We are delighted that AWS is continuing their collaboration with us at this most challenging year for travel,” said Yeoh Siew Hoon, founder, WiT. “We received the most diverse entries this year for the virtual competition, and we have selected 10 semi-finalists who will pitch during our WiT Experience Week, Sept 28-Oct 1.

The semi-finals will be held
on September 29, and three startups will go on to pitch at the Grand Finals on
Oct 1. The winner will have the opportunity to present at the Innovation Summit
at The Phocuswright Conference in Phoenix, November 16-19, 2020.

Said David Peller, global
head, AWS Travel and Hospitality, who will be one of the judges of this year’s
competition, “The WiT Startup Pitch has the tradition of showcasing diverse,
innovative solutions designed to enhance guest experiences, and remove friction
from the world of travel. AWS is pleased to provide service credits and support
to the startups, accelerating their growth and ability to scale through access
to the broadest and deepest cloud platform with the largest global community of
customers.”

The 10 semi-finalists,
selected after the first round of judging by a selected panel, are:

• Acomodeo
  UG
• Check
  in Here Now
• DailyPass
• DiscoverSailing
  Asia
• Dream
  Drive
• Hepstar
• Kotozna
• Kyte
• Micepad
• SmartSpruce

The WiT Startup Pitch, now in
its 11^th year, is open to all travel-related startups, up to five
years old. WiT seeks to highlight ground-breaking new ideas and clever, entrepreneurial
minds that push the boundaries in travel technology.

Past winners include IDEM,
Split, Klook, MyRealTrip, and Relux among others. Last year’s winner IDEM
Hospitality recently announced it had been acquired by US-based Groups360. Last
August, Groups360 made news when Accor, Hilton, IHG (InterContinental Hotels
Group) and Marriott International invested a combined US$50 million in the
organisation.