Each of these companies has made its mark over the years through rapid growth, customer signings, technology developments and ability to attract investment. Hostaway landed significant funding late last year and has released artificial intelligence (AI) tools, while Lighthouse also secured a large investment and acquired marketing personalization technology company The Hotels Network. Mews announced a $75 million investment and continues to grow through acquisitions.
During a session at Phocuswright Europe 2025, the leaders of the three companies discussed which of the well-established hospitality technology companies they identify with, as well as what makes them stand out.
Amadeus came to mind for Lighthouse CEO Sean Fitzpatrick, while Richard Valtr, founder of Mews, said he identifies with the early days of Oracle. But he is also keeping an eye out for “who is actually coming to kill us.”
They also discussed the potential for AI to disrupt them and the wider industry and how they might prevent that from happening.
“I think if you're trying to preserve your position, you're already losing,” Fitzpatrick said. “What makes us particularly excited about AI is—if you think about that traveler journey from discovery and research to booking to payment to staying—there are so many different companies, some of them very large, that are profiting from the dysfunction in that journey.”
Marcus Rader, founder and CEO of Hostaway, said the company tries to stay humble and always focus on the customer.
“How can we do this with as little effort and as few resources as possible? Because that’s what those smaller competitors are doing—they have a lack of resources so they have to innovate to survive. If we give ourselves too many resources, we’re going to stop innovating, and then we’ll be dead.”
The discussion also touched on the current investment climate, growing by acquisition versus building everything internally and technology evolution over the next five years.
Watch the full session below moderated by Peter O'Connor, Phocuswright senior analyst for Europe:
Big Ideas, Big Money—Innovation and Growth in Hospitality Tech
Tags: hospitality tech scene, Marcus Rader, Hostaway, Amadeus, technology developments, Lighthouse Sean Fitzpatrick, Phocuswright Europe 2025