Francine Aclan, Emma Doherty, and Roodabeh Elavia from Cornell University were crowned the Overall Winner for their pioneering project, 'PYRO', at SHC 2024. PYRO is an innovative appliance that converts food waste into renewable energy for live-fire restaurants (LFRs), addressing critical sustainability challenges like excessive food waste and wood consumption. Using a scaled-down pyrolysis process, PYRO transforms food waste into biochar, a cleaner, more sustainable grill fuel. This practical solution reduces harmful emissions, promotes environmental compliance, and enhances economic efficiency, offering a bold step towards a more sustainable hospitality industry. The team also won the Most Investible Award, demonstrating the highest potential for commercial success and investment.
A Milestone Year for SHC: Expanding Globally and Driving Future Growth
As SHC celebrates its 10th anniversary, it has achieved significant new milestones. For the first time, the competition hosted semi-final events across three continents—Europe, Asia, and the Americas—further expanding its global reach. These events would not have been possible without the support of SHC’s main sponsor, NEOM, who is committed to supporting bold ideas, pushing the limits of what's possible, and leading the way towards a more sustainable and forward-thinking future.
Additional partners include The Bench, the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, the World Travel and Tourism Council, and strong industry backing.
This year, new sponsors MEWS, Guest Supply, and QUO joined the SHC initiative, further broadening the competition’s influence. In addition, new partnerships with UN Tourism and the Caribbean Tourism Organization have been instrumental in advancing sustainable innovation.
Matt Welle, CEO of Mews, “It has been an honour for Mews to support the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge, an event that brings fantastic innovation, empowering young talent to reshape the future of hospitality. The level of passion and creativity that we’ve seen throughout the challenge has been remarkable.”
Gustaf Lantz, Senior Vice President APAC & EMEA at Guest Worldwide and Sonja Allen, Regional Sales & Marketing Manager MENA at Guest Supply, “Guest Supply is extremely proud to be a sponsor of this really important innovative challenge. What not only showcases the future of hospitality but educates us to look outside of the box for more sustainable solutions and partner our global customers in achieving their sustainable steps moving forward.”
David Keen, CEO of QUO, “The Sustainable Hospitality Challenge brings the world of hospitality together through the younger generation. It is our responsibility to empower our students with the tools, ideas, and acumen to enable change within the industry.”
Looking ahead, the organization is set to rebrand and return bigger and better than ever, with inspiration as the key driving force. The future of SHC will bring more initiatives, such as incubators and foundations, designed to offer new career and educational opportunities to bright minds from all backgrounds. These efforts will continue to expand SHC's mission of inspiring and being inspired by the next generation of hospitality leaders.
Paul Griep and Stella van Toor, the visionaries behind SHC, shared, “2024 marks a significant milestone for SHC, but it’s only the beginning. We are excited about the future, where we will continue to foster inspiration and innovation, building initiatives that open doors for young talent. Our focus will always be on empowering those with bold ideas to shape the future of sustainable hospitality.”
Additional Awards Recognizing Excellence
In addition to the Overall Winner and the Most Investible Award, SHC 2024 celebrated achievements across several other key categories. Other awards included the Most Sustainable Impact, won by VinUniversity, and the Most Inspiring, awarded to the University of West Indies, Mona Campus. The Public’s Favorite was the University of West London, chosen by the public through the first-ever online public voting process in SHC history, which attracted over 5,000 votes globally.
An Exclusive Opportunity at WTTC Global Summit in Perth, Australia
Following their success in Dubai, representatives from each of the seven finalist teams will travel to Perth, Australia, for a unique opportunity to present their concepts at the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Summit. They will showcase their innovations to the highest-level jury that SHC has ever assembled, featuring the most influential leaders from the world’s top hospitality and investment firms, positioning themselves for transformative investment and widespread implementation of their ideas.
To learn more about the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge and stay updated on future developments, visit SHC’s newly launched website: sustainablehospitalitychalleng
Tags:David Keen, QUO, Paul Griep, Stella van Toor, SHC, Gustaf Lantz, Guest Supply, Matt Welle, Mews
