Barcelona: Now in its third consecutive year, the VrTech Startup Competition has announced this year’s three finalists as it moves on to the final round at the Vacation Rental World Summit on 5 October in Lake Como, Italy.
The contest, sponsored by Rentals United and Howzat Partners, aims to bring the most innovative young startups in the vacation rental industry into the limelight.
The three finalists were chosen by different sets of judges:
Cohosting, chosen by a jury of property managers, is a guest services enterprise that focuses on connecting guests with complete tourism services that are guided by local expertise.
CEO Alejandro Soria Saez said: “Being one of the three VrTech Start-Up finalists means a huge recognition for Cohosting and our team’s effort. We are sure this event will help us show other international markets how hundreds of accommodation providers have already become world travel companies thanks to Cohosting.”
Operto, chosen by a jury of experts and investors, is a home automation platform that allows property managers and owners to manage guest experience and increase operational efficiency.
CEO Michael Driedger said: “We’re incredibly honoured to be the jury of experts’ choice as a VrTech Competition finalist. It’s great to see an organisation and competition encouraging innovation and collaboration in this fast-moving industry.
“We’re particularly excited about our new European solutions, which bring property automation to Europe in a way that was previously reserved for North America,” he added.
Check-in Scan, chosen by the general public, is a guest registration app that helps to work with the new tourism rental laws that require property managers to collect guests’ details and obtain their signatures for the ‘parte de entrada de viajeros’ or ‘travellers’ notice of entry’.
CEO Ben Smith said: “Having been chosen for the VrTech final at the prestigious VRWS in Lake Como is an amazing experience. I’m looking forward to meeting new people, learning more about the vacation rental industry and showcasing Check-in Scan to the audience.”
VrTech is inviting the audience at the Vacation Rental World Summit to vote on the final three presentations in Lake Como after live pitches by the founders. More information on the competition can be found here.
The team behind VrTech are also planning a second Vacation Rental Tech Week in Barcelona in November to further promote technological innovation and collaboration in the international vacation rental sphere.
