Produced by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), HITEC 2025 featured a trade show floor with more than 360 companies showcasing the latest hospitality technology solutions and an education lineup focusing on the impact of technology in the industry. The event also offered myriad networking opportunities with other industry professionals, executive decision-makers and investors from more than 60 countries.
Day one featured an Opening Headliner presentation by Jeremy Gutsche, founder of trendhunter.com, which was followed by a Welcome Reception at the nearby Lucas Oil Stadium.
The next morning’s Headliner session was led by Todd Buchholz, economist, former White House advisor and best-selling author. He discussed the connection between Wall Street, Main Street and financial capitals throughout the world. This session also showcased the two 2025 inductees to the International Hospitality Technology Hall of Fame: Bruce Bensetler, founder/CEO, Data Plus Inc. and Luis Segredo, cofounder, Hapi (Data Travel, LLC).
The highlight of the third day of HITEC was the Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) pitch competition, where eight hospitality technology startups presented their business concepts to a panel of judges and an audience of HITEC attendees.
In honor 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 of winning E20X. Rojas is cofounder of Whistle Messaging, which was acquired by Cloudbeds in 2022. He currently serves as Cloudbeds’ 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 Levee offers AI agents that automate data capture and task execution, replacing outdated checklists and manual processes.
Planning is already underway for HITEC 2026, which will take place June 15-18 in San Antonio.
Tags: Cloudbeds, Data Plus Inc., Bruce Bensetler, Entrepreneur 20X, Hapi, HITEC 2025 by HBO, Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP), Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC), Jeremy Gutsche, Jonathon Rojas, Levee, Luis Segredo, Todd Buchholz, Whistle Messaging
