TECH HOTLIST The 2023

Tripism

Move over clunky company travel intranet, there’s a new kid in town. As travel programmes become increasingly complex and intricate, and with suppliers wanting to share ever-changing information about how they’re tackling safety and duty of care, the latest sustainability initiatives and the overall experience, travel managers can understandably feel overwhelmed by the task of keeping their travellers properly informed. Step forward Tripism, billing itself as a ‘single source of truth’ by incorporating travel policy guidelines and supplier updates, but also integrating a clever TripAdvisorstyle review element, so travellers can share experiences – good and bad – with their colleagues. Not only does this help travellers make better choices, it also gives travel managers valuable insights into their travel programme and how their preferred suppliers are performing. A win-win. tripism.io

Troop

Like other disruptive start-ups, this one was the brainchild of a pair who came from outside the travel space. Trying to choose the best location for a global organisation’s internal meeting, they realised how manual and opinion-driven the process was and decided there must be a better way. TROOP launched back in 2018, using technology that uses Big Data and machine learning to find the best meeting locations for corporate groups and events based on specific requirements, such as cost, ease of access, safety, visa requirements, carbon footprint and even the proximity to attractions and places to eat and drink. By streamlining the entire meeting planning process, organisations can make informed decisions and plan meetings of any size within minutes. Since the pandemic, when so many more workforces are dispersed, TROOP has really come into its own. In the last 15 months alone, its team has grown from six people to 60 and in March 2023 TROOP completed an $11m Series B funding round to finance expansion across Europe and the US and to deliver and launch TROOP: One, its end-to-end meeting management platform. The company claims to help clients reduce, on average, 25% in costs, 20% travel time, and 17% of CO2 emissions for each planned meeting. You can’t argue with those figures. trooptravel.com

Jyrney

This Manchester-based ride-hail, taxi and chauffeur services start-up made it into our Tech Hotlist back in 2021 when it was still in its very early infancy. In fact, it hadn’t even officially launched at that time but we took a punt and, thankfully, we were proved right. Jyrney is back in our list for 2023 because it has just unveiled its mobile solution, claiming it will revolutionise the way travellers access and manage ground transportation. The mobile offering can be accessed as a standalone solution for corporate clients or integrated into travel companies’ mobile booking apps, with

Tagtu

This Berlin-based newcomer is still in its beta testing phase and is actively seeking partners who want to give its technology a try, but we spotted its potential and decided to include it in our 2023 list.

the data available in mid-back offices, Global Distribution Systems and risk management software. Travellers will have access to ride-hail, taxi and chauffeur services both for pre-booked and on-demand trips. By integrating with travel tech platforms, travel buyers and TMCs can get complete visibility over location, costs, and carbon emissions. What sets Jyrney apart from its competitors is that in the event of delays, it reallocates bookings to closer taxi companies, ensuring prompt and reliable pickups. It has already partnered with some key TMCs and tech companies, including TripStax, and co-founder and CEO Daniel Price tells us there are more exciting partnerships coming soon. You heard it here first. jyrney.com

It founders, Michael Friedrich and Maxim Kahlert, are “flipping the script on business travel” by shifting the focus from the cost of the trip to the purpose and the value derived from it.

Responding to the glaring need for more efficient and conscious travel, the Tagtu platform is a fusion of technology and strategic planning, integrating contact data and address book information into travel planning to allow travellers to achieve more meetings on fewer trips and to maximise value and return.

It aims to help companies make more strategic decisions about when and how to travel, who to meet and how often, for the best business outcomes. Crucially, in doing so, Tagtu’s platform also paves the way for more sustainable travel choices. What's not to like? tagtu.com