We are looking for smart technology ideas for tourism! Could it be yours?
Do you want to see your tourism idea flourish and turn into a modern technology startup? If yes, all you need to do is apply to the 7th youth Idea Competition “Idea Platform” of the CapsuleT Travel & Hospitality Accelerator, the only accelerator in Greece exclusively focused on substantially supporting technology startups in the tourism sector.
The specialized guidance and support your team will receive from the mentors and speakers of the competition program - all experienced industry professionals - will give you the boost you need to turn your idea into a new, innovative business.
A few words about the Idea Platform
The Idea Platform program is free of charge and addressed to young undergraduate students, graduates, postgraduate or PhD students of Greek universities, young unemployed professionals, as well as new businesses at a very early stage with a technological and entrepreneurial background.
The goal for participating teams is to submit business proposals capable of solving practical problems identified in tourism through the use of technology, focusing on the competition’s thematic categories.
The accelerator team is seeking ideas that can evolve into startups with a positive impact on the digital transformation of the Greek tourism industry. If they wish, the 3 winners of the competition will have the opportunity to be directly admitted to the 9th cycle of the Acceleration Program to further develop their business activity.
Program Duration
The 7th Idea Platform will have a total duration of 12 days and will take place between March 30 and April 28, 2026, when the Closing Ceremony & Awards will also be held.
The Idea Platform includes free educational workshops, talks, and advisory mentoring sessions (conducted during midday/afternoon hours). The 12-day period includes both the preparatory phase and the competitive phase.
For successful completion and eligibility to participate in the Closing Ceremony & Awards (final presentations) on April 28, 2026, at least one team member must attend and participate throughout the entire program.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible applicants wishing to secure a place in the program (March 30 – April 28, 2026) must be:
– teams (at least 2 members) with an innovative business idea for the tourism sector that requires the use of technology to be implemented.
– team members aged 18 to 35, students, graduates, or postgraduate students in fields such as Sciences, Engineering, Computer Science, Business Administration, Economics, Tourism Management, etc.
– applicants must have Greek nationality or be residents of Greece.
– teams must not have received any other funding, except for an initial round or funding from friends and family (not exceeding €50,000).
– if a company has already been established, it must have been founded less than 6 months before the application date.
Teams participate with ideas for applications and solutions in products and services related to the goals and thematic areas of the Idea Platform, such as:
a) tourism accommodation and F&B (hotel management, revenue management, channel management, HR management, guest products & services, operation tools, etc.)
b) tourism transport (Distribution & Transfers)
c) booking engines & OTAs
d) tourism & cultural activities, tours & events (advanced booking engines, virtual/digital tours, experience management, etc.)
e) airports & maritime tourism/marinas (vessel/traveler management, quality control, bookings, etc.)
f) sustainability solutions (energy & resource saving, food waste, recycling, etc.)
g) communication & promotional solutions (measurement & evaluation of services, social media, advertising, etc.)
h) broader tourism solutions such as fintech (payments/billings/pricing engines), big data analytics, cloud services, AI solutions, Augmented/Virtual Reality solutions, etc.
