Where Travel Meets Tomorrow
Check-In is an open innovation program that connects visionary startups with Portugal’s leading tourism and hospitality partners to co-create seamless, AI-powered travel experiences.
Since 2021, the program has been accelerating digital transformation by matching cutting-edge startups with tourism SMEs across the country. Across its first three editions, Check-In has linked more than 60 startups to industry partners, co-developing 50 real pilots that improved operations, enhanced guest experiences and boosted competitiveness.
Whether you’re a startup building next-generation AI travel solutions or a tourism SME ready to innovate, Check-In is where ideas become real impact.
THE PROGRAM
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THE PROGRAM |
12 weeks, One mission
Our goal is simple: to elevate the tourism and hospitality experience by unlocking the power of Generative AI — strengthening operations and enabling more personalized, sustainable and seamless journeys for travellers.
Startups with strong AI-enabled solutions and the capacity to drive real transformation will enter a 3-month pilot phase, working side-by-side with leading travel and tourism SMEs — our Corporate Partners — to shape the future of the industry.
Throughout this partially remote program, participants access an environment built for fast learning, experimentation and impact, including:
Co-creation with Corporate Partners tackling real operational challenges
Mentorship from Nova SBE faculty, industry experts and investors
Immersion in real business problems and customer insights
Live piloting inside tourism and hospitality operations
Ongoing support from a dedicated program team
If you’re ready to build, test and scale the next generation of tourism innovation, this is where your journey begins.
Jan 5 – Feb 23
We scout and select the most promising AI-driven startups with the strongest fit for the program.
Applications Open
Apr 13 & 14
Matchmaking
In-Person at Nova SBE
A 2-day immersive event bringing together the 20 selected startups and the corporate partners they may collaborate with.
Day 1: Corporate Partners reverse pitch + One-on-one meetings to explore alignment and collaboration potential
Day 2: Work on a pilot proposal + pitch to partners. Corporate partners select the startup pilots they wish to move forward with
Apr 15 – Jul 1
Co-creation & developement
Selected startup–SME pairs work side by side to co-create and develop real AI-powered solutions.
During this phase, startups will build and test pilots directly within SME environments and can also take part in Nova SBE mentorship sessions
Jul 2
Demo day
In-Person at Nova SBE
A public event showcasing the results of all pilots.
Startups present their outcomes to a broad audience of corporate partners, investors, faculty, students and alumni, gaining visibility and opportunities for future scale.
Solutions we are looking for
Our ambition is to create a truly seamless experience across the tourism and hospitality industry.
Five priority areas have been defined where innovation can meaningfully enhance the travel experience — making it more efficient, sustainable, and human-centred. These areas outline where our tourism partners are actively seeking collaboration with technology providers capable of elevating the visitor journey end-to-end.
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Ability to offer personalized recommendations, content, and experiences for each visitor based on their profile, preferences, history, context, and behaviour.
The Goal: Make the visitor feel that the experience was created “just for them.”
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Continuous management of communication with the visitor across all channels (website, email, WhatsApp, app, social media, reception chat) without duplicated or inconsistent messages.
The Goal: Ensure fluidity throughout the entire journey. -
Automation of internal tasks to reduce costs, errors, and administrative workload.
The Goal: Free teams to focus on human service -
Collection and cross-analysis of data (reservations, traffic, weather, flows, ecology, reviews, consumption) to support strategic and operational decision-making.
The Goal: Operate in a predictable, efficient, and sustainable way. -
Tools that connect visitors to territory protection, promote responsible behaviour, and help manage tourism pressure.
The Goal: Generate positive tourism with environmental and social value.
FOR STARTUPS
Why Apply
Joining Check-In means entering one of the most dynamic tourism and innovation environments in Europe — and gaining the support, exposure and partnerships needed to accelerate your solution.
Work with leading tourism brands to solve real challenges and build high-impact pilots.
Co-create inside Nova SBE’s innovation hub with tools, resources and acceleration space.
Tap into Nova SBE’s academic + entrepreneurial network for talent and collaboration.
Get targeted mentorship, investor access, and join the Nova SBE Haddad Founders Community.
Grow in one of the world’s fastest-rising tourism markets with 29M+ annual visitors.
Showcase your pilot to corporate partners, investors and key players in the tourism ecosystem.
Meet the mentors
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Meet the mentors |
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![Black and white close-up photo of a woman with curly hair smiling, her chin resting on her hand.]()
Shadi Yazdan
#AIStrategy #ExitedFounder #ValueCreationExpert
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![Black and white headshot of a man with glasses, a beard, and short, dark hair, smiling.]()
João Castro
#Associate Professor #TechnologyInnovation #ProductDevelopment
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![Black and white photo of a woman speaking into a microphone, wearing a floral patterned top and a lanyard, with a serious expression and one hand raised.]()
Cintia Mano
#Angelinvestor #Entrepreneur
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![A black and white photo of a man with short, curly hair and a beard, standing in front of a textured brick wall.]()
Nelson Lopez
#Founder #Investor #Web3Specialist
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![Black and white portrait of a smiling woman with curly hair, wearing a patterned blazer and necklace, indoors with blurred background.]()
Filipa Baptista
#GlobalExecutive #AISpecialist #HealthcareSpecialist
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![Black and white portrait of a smiling man with short, dark hair, wearing a collared shirt, outdoors with blurred background.]()
Gonçalo Perdigão
#AISpecialist #SerialFounder #ProductDevelopment
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![Black and white portrait of a smiling man with short, dark hair, wearing a collared shirt.]()
Luís Navega
#BusinessDevelopmetn #SalesExpert
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![A young man with dark hair and light stubble, wearing a black t-shirt, sitting at a table with his hands clasped together near his face, looking to the side in a modern indoor setting.]()
Tim Ward
#GTMstrategist #Founder #BusinessDevelopment
CORPORATE PARTNERS
Collaborate to lead
Tourism leaders and startups working together to shape the future of seamless, AI-powered travel.
From hotels and travel operators to mobility providers and regional tourism entities, our corporate partners represent the core of Portugal’s tourism industry. They join Check-In to collaborate with startups, embrace innovation and accelerate the adoption of AI-driven solutions that enhance operations and elevate the traveler experience.
By partnering with Check-In, organizations gain access to high-potential startups, benefit from Nova SBE’s academic and entrepreneurial ecosystem, and engage in a structured co-creation process that turns real challenges into real pilots. In return, they can test new technologies, explore new business models and play a leading role in shaping the future of tourism in Portugal.
Together, partners and startups co-develop practical, high-impact solutions that deliver more efficient, personalized and seamless travel experiences.
