Fiera Hospitality and WMF-We Make Future launch the new edition of the Startup for Hospitality contest

Hospitality - Il Salone dell'Accoglienza and WMF - We Make Future are launching the new edition of the "Startup for Hospitality" contest, dedicated to HoReCa startups with innovative projects that contribute to the evolution of the industry. The call, open until January 11, 2026, is an invitation to all businesses looking to make a difference: finalists will have the opportunity to present their ideas at the opening day of the 50th Hospitality - Il Salone dell'Accoglienza, scheduled for February 2, 2026. The winning startup will participate in WMF - We Make Future in June 2026. The contest focuses on solutions capable of transforming operations and the customer experience, accelerating the evolution of HoReCa.

Hospitality - Il Salone dell'Accoglienza , Italy's leading international trade fair for hospitality and catering , and WMF - We Make Future , the International Trade Fair and Festival on Innovation: AI, Tech & Digital, are launching the new edition of the Startup for Hospitality contest . Developed in collaboration with Trentino Sviluppo , the competition is dedicated to startups that have already developed or intend to develop innovative solutions for the HoReCa sector with concrete applications for hotels, restaurants, bars, and accommodation facilities.

The call—open until January 11, 2026 —aims to identify projects capable of accelerating the evolution of the sector: from home automation and smart-room technologies to reservation management systems, from operational process optimization to sensors, up to solutions for the guest experience , food & beverage tech , automation , energy efficiency and, more generally, all high-impact innovations dedicated to the world of professional hospitality. It is an opportunity to develop ideas that can truly transform the future of hospitality.

"Hospitality is undergoing a profound transformation in which technology and digital skills represent increasingly crucial strategic levers. With Startup for Hospitality, we want to support emerging entrepreneurship and promote solutions capable of improving the work of operators and the quality of the experience offered to guests and travelers ," comments Alessandra Albarelli, General Manager of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi, organizer of Hospitality – The Hospitality Exhibition . "We firmly believe that the cross-fertilization of ideas, technologies, and skills is the true driver of progress in the sector. Giving space to startups means investing in new visions, stimulating innovation, and contributing to the growth of a more competitive, efficient, and forward-looking hospitality ecosystem."

The initiative was born with the specific goal of promoting entrepreneurship and supporting the most promising technological and digital companies, encouraging the introduction of innovative solutions in the hotel, restaurant, and hospitality industries.

"We are thrilled to renew this collaboration with Hospitality, one of the most representative entities in the HoReCa trade fair landscape, because we share the vision of a sector that grows through technology, research, and experimentation," says Cosmano Lombardo, Founder and CEO of Search On Media Group and creator of WMF . "We have always worked with WMF to foster the spread of innovation and entrepreneurship, building bridges between ecosystems and networking startups, businesses, and institutions. This call represents a new step in that direction: we want to offer young businesses in this sector the opportunity to engage, accelerate their development, and make a concrete contribution to the future evolution of hospitality."

The final at Hospitality 2026

The five finalist startups will participate in the opening day of the 50th edition of Hospitality - Il Salone dell'Accoglienza (2-5 February 2026, Riva del Garda exhibition centre). On Monday, February 2, they will be featured in the matching area of the Hotel & Co Arena – Pavilion B3 . At 5:00 PM, during the pitch competition , they will have the opportunity to introduce themselves, discuss their project, meet with companies and stakeholders in the sector, and interact with more than 20,000 professionals and over 750 HoReCa exhibitors. The projects will be evaluated by a jury composed of representatives from Hospitality, WMF – We Make Future, and Trentino Sviluppo.

The winning startup will be able to attend the gala evening celebrating the important milestone of 50 editions of Hospitality. It will also have the opportunity to participate in WMF – We Make Future, scheduled at BolognaFiere from June 24 to 26, 2026 , where it will present its project to an international audience that in 2025 recorded over 73,000 attendees from more than 90 countries , with over 700 exhibitors and sponsors, 3,000 startups and open innovation stakeholders , and over 1,000 speakers from around the world.

To apply, simply complete the online form by January 11, 2026.

Each startup is invited to identify one of the twelve "challenges of the future" that their project intends to address. The challenges cover a broad spectrum of innovative fields—from smart cities to digital health, Industry 4.0 to intelligent mobility, climate tech to the future of work, immersive experiences and customer experience, planetary regeneration, cybersecurity, fintech, and marketing.