The Get Funded Show@World Travel Market

The Get Funded Show was an extremely valuable opportunity for our business, Zoombu, to be critiqued by some of the best entrepreneurs in the business, to gain exposure in front of an audience of travel experts and to open new doors for future investment and partnerships. We would recommend the experience to any promising travel start-ups looking for a leg up in the industry.
Rachel Armitage, Co-Founder, Zoombu - Winner at EyeforTravel’s Distribution Summit 2009

The Get Funded Show@World Travel Market is a high-profile platform where the innovators of the industry will present the ideas that will shape the future of travel. The unique event will catapult savvy start-ups into the limelight at the world's premier travel event. With over 25,000 travel professionals and almost 3,000 travel press in attendance at World Travel Market, The Get Funded Show@WTM offers unsurpassed exposure and the ultimate visibility for ambitious entrepreneurs.

On the 11-12th November, at London's ExCeL, entrepreneurs will gather to pitch their innovations to our Travel Gurus and Investors. Our Gurus are travel industry veterans with a proven history of spotting – and investing in – companies about to boom.

The Travel Gurus include such industry experts as:-

  • Hugo Burge, Founder, Cheapflights and Howzat Media
  • Steve Endacott, Owner and CEO, On Holiday Group
  • John Kent, Founder and CEO of youtravel.com and the founder of Aquis Hotels and Resorts
  • Roger Allard, Owner, All Leisure Group
  • Paul Evans, Founder and Chief Executive, Low Cost Holiday Group
  • Faisal Galaria, ex-Managing Director, Kayak Europe & Angel Investor
  • Dinesh Dhamija, Founder, eBookers
  • Cree Lawson, Founder and CEO, Travel Ad Network
  • Dhruv Shringi, Founder, Yatra

All have redefined the travel industry in the past and now enthusiastically look for the people who can replicate their success.

All have redefined the travel industry in the past and now enthusiastically look for the people who can replicate their success. They will be joined on the panel by our Investors – angels and VCs actively targeting the travel sector.

There will also be inspiring presentations and discussion with the merger and acquisitions managers from the major travel companies, such as the Group M&A Director for Thomas Cook Peter Waller and Glenn Fogel SVP Corporate Development at Priceline.

With so much entrepreneurial talent in one room the event promises to be fertile with innovation and ideas. Imagine meeting the next Kayak, Farecast or Tripadvisor and being part of their success. This is your opportunity to tap into the bleeding-edge of the travel industry and meet the people set to change everything!

Winning The Get Funded Show was a tremendous boost…This winning vote of confidence from both the vastly experienced panel of Travel Guru and the travel industry audience, was exciting validation that we were had all the correct ingredients of a successful brand, albeit in its infancy.

In the week following the show we had two separate offers of the initial investment we had sought (£100K). During this due diligence period, we were continuing to receive the support and advice from some members of the panel, so the benefits were continuing beyond the actual event - David Scowsill has become PrivateFly's Chairman (and part investor).

We were also able to use our success at the show as a great platform for media and PR coverage, including coverage in a national broadsheet and culminating in a slot on the BBC Ten O Clock News, which catapulted the website hits and offline enquiries through the roof!

Being part of the 2008 The Get Funded Show was a significant steeping stone and catalyst. Winning the Show validated our own belief that our product was unique and well placed to become a market leader; The PR and media coverage was more valuable than any PR budget would have generated; And our company benefited from expert advice, not just during the event but in the months and now years following. We would thoroughly recommend The Get Funded Show as a must-attend event for new start ups.
Adam Twidell, Founder, PrivateFly.com – 2008 Winner

If you're an entrepreneur keen to succeed in the travel industry; an investor in the lucrative travel sector or a travel executive keen to see the top travel innovators this is the event for you.

How to get involved...