Cape Town based travel technology startup, Hepstar has been selected to participate in Silicon Valley’s Plug and Play accelerator hosted by the Plug and Play Tech Center.
The accelerator, which connects various startups to suitable investors as well as invests in over 100 companies every year, made the announcement last month. The company’s portfolio includes major companies such as PayPal, Dropbox and Skytree.
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Hepstar was among the top 20 participants handpicked for the accelerator from more than 1000 global applicants. The company places a strong emphasis on data analytics, e-merchandising, machine-learning and personalisation.
“We are really excited about this opportunity. With partners like Turkish Airlines, Carlson Wagolit, TUI Group, Lufthansa and jetBlue Technology Ventures, Plug and Play provides a great opportunity to showcase our capabilities to some of the largest players in the travel sector,” said Hepstar COO Claudia Snyman in a press release to Ventureburn.
Hepstar will tackle North American markets through Silicon Valley’s Plug and Play accelerator
Hepstar offers merchants various benefits which allow them to set a central point-of-call to access travel insurance content from various providers. The company offers merchants a way to optimise their revenue earned from travel insurance sales through its e-merchandising solutions.
“In regards to new modes of distribution for the travel insurance market, Hepstar’s strategy may be exactly the answer carriers and airlines are looking for,” said the head of travel for Plug and Play Ventures, Kevin Wang.
“Hepstar’s insurance products offer highly specific travel coverage which captures ancillary revenue for our travel partners, Wang concluded.
The tech travel company’s reach already expands across Africa, Asia, South America as well as the Middle East. With Hepstar’s focus firmly on breaching the North American markets, its participation in the Plug and Play Accelerator might just make it possible.