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HITEC 2025 explores latest in hospitality technology
Hospitality professionals travelled from across the globe to Indianapolis, Ind., June 16-19 for the largest and longest-running show of its kind.
The Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) was established 53 years ago to feature technological innovation in the hospitality space, and since then it has grown to be an annual mainstay for showcasing and sharing expertise on the latest developments in this segment. This year had nearly 6,000 attendees convening for HITEC 2025.
Produced by the international nonprofit association, Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), attendees experienced a world-class exhibition showcasing the latest hospitality technology solutions from 360+ companies—a comprehensive education lineup centering on the impact of technology in the industry, and a wealth of networking opportunities with other industry professionals, executive decision-makers and investors from over 60 countries.
Establishing the rhythm of the show was the Opening Headliner presentation by Jeremy Gutsche, founder of TrendHunter.com and sponsored by COX Business, Hospitality Network and Blueprint RF. The session was immediately followed by a Welcome Reception sponsored by DIRECTV at the nearby Lucas Oil Stadium.
The next morning’s insightful Headliner session was led by Todd Buchholz, renowned economist, White House advisor, and best-selling author. Bucholz connected the dots between Wall Street, Main Street, and financial capitals throughout the world. This session also welcomed two new inductees to the 2025 International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame: Bruce Bensetler, founder and CEO, Data Plus, Inc. and Luis Segredo, a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Hapi (Data Travel, LLC).
The third day of HITEC celebrated the innovative business concepts of eight ambitious hospitality technology startups who competed in the ever-popular Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) pitch competition. In honour of its 10th anniversary, Jonathon Rojas (recipient of the first E20X Judges’ Choice Award,) kicked off the competition with a presentation reflecting on his journey as an entrepreneur and the positive impact from winning E20X. Rojas is co-founder of Whistle Messaging, which was acquired by Cloudbeds in 2022; and where he currently serves as the company’s global director of growth.
This year, after delivering their pitches, Levee ultimately won the E20X People’s Choice Award by popular vote among attendees, as well as the Judges’ Choice Award. Levee offers AI agents that automate data capture and task execution, replacing outdated checklists and manual processes.
"In one word, HITEC is engaging. There have been a lot of engaging sessions that we've had the opportunity to both be a part of and attend. We've had engaging conversations with industry partners,” says Kaelyn Beckman, Mews.
Planning for HITEC 2026 is already well underway, which will take place June 15-18 in San Antonio, Texas. General booth sales are already open.
