Industry leaders set to judge the best new travel applications and technologies.
On November 16 in Phoenix, AZ USA, 34 travel innovators will square off and take the stage in front of an elite audience of travel professionals at The PhoCusWright Conference, in a bid to be named the "PhoCusWright Travel Innovation Summit Winner." This year's Travel Innovation Summit promises to bristle with new energy and ideas.
Innovators have been drawn from a wide range of qualified applicants—from startups to established, from big players to the Next-Big-Thing. What they share is the drive to introduce the applications and technologies that will take travel planning, purchasing, and memorializing to a new level.
For the innovators, the stakes are high and the benefits are clear: a live, no-nonsense sounding board that provides immediate interaction with and feedback from travel executives, potential investors, and savvy media people; and unbeatable promotional opportunities, including logo placements and other exposure in USA TODAY, The Travel Innovation Summit's presenting sponsor.
This year's judges represent all ends of the industry, and have been tapped because they know the real deal when they see it. Together, they apply their insight and expertise to select the "PhoCusWright Travel Innovation Summit Winner."
This year's panel includes:
- James Davidson, President and CEO, Farelogix Inc.
- Mike Kistner, CEO, Pegasus Solutions Inc.
- Bill McAleer, Managing Director, Voyager Capital
- Michael McCormick, Executive Director and COO, National Business Travel Association Inc.
- Matt McIlwain, Managing Director, Madrona Venture Group LLC
- Timothy Mullaney, Journalist
- Mark Okerstrom, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development, Expedia
- Debu Purkayastha, Principal, Corporate Development, M&A, Google
- Joseph Strodel, Director, Corporate and Foundation Affairs, Office of External Affairs, Cornell University School of Hotel Administration
- Edward Williams, Partner, Brook Venture Fund
PhoCusWright's expert team of analysts carefully screens all potential innovators. Candidates who advance through the rigorous application process are selected to demonstrate their travel technology tool or solution, in real time, in front of The PhoCusWright Conference audience. Innovators are judged on the technical and business value of the innovation, and its potential impact on the marketplace. Live, interactive polling sends the top four on to Five Minutes of Fame during Center Stage@The PhoCusWright Conference.
But the action does not end when the demonstration does; attendees have open access to the innovators, and are encouraged to provide feedback and connect with them during the conference. This is how funds are found, ideas vetted, and partnerships formed.
"What's unique about The Travel Innovation Summit is that it combines the Wisdom of the Crowd with the Prudence of the Panel," says Philip Wolf, president and CEO of PhoCusWright. "Attendees decide which innovators advance to the next stage, and, along with our expert panel, pick the winners."
Past attendees know that The Travel Innovation Summit is THE venue to hear what is percolating in the industry; that is what keeps them coming back for more.
This year's PhoCusWright Conference and Travel Innovation Summit take place in Phoenix, AZ USA on November 16-18. For more information, visit the website.
www.phocuswright.com 
