EHL Innovation Hub
EHL Innovation Hub is the innovation arm of EHL Group, operating a startup accelerator and open innovation platform for hospitality and service industries. It supports startups, students, corporates, and investors through programs, events, and partnerships from its Lausanne campus.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersLausanne, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What EHL Innovation Hub does
EHL Innovation Hub is the innovation arm of EHL Group, operating as a multi-program startup ecosystem and open innovation services platform based on the EHL Campus in Lausanne, Switzerland. Founded in 2018-2019, the Hub supports 100+ start-ups, scale-ups, and student projects annually across hospitality, F&B, travel, tourism, luxury, retail, education, health, and wellbeing verticals. It runs incubation and acceleration programs (Venture Growth Program, SUPA, My Own Start-up Program), short-format experiential events (Innovation Sprint, InnoHub MeetUps), and an annual flagship HumanX Summit with a dedicated Investor Track. Its portfolio of 17+ member companies spans AI hospitality automation (Inntelo AI, Lobby), food technology (Châtaigne, Food2050), travel tech (BehaviorSMART, CityTourPlayer), and hospitality operations (CRQLAR, Smartiz, Stream Ocean).
The Hub generates revenue through three primary streams: corporate professional services (paid Innovation Challenges, Growth Program for corporates, testbed access, pilot programs, venture building, research reports); startup membership fees (subscription access to offices, coaching, grants, investor introductions on the Lausanne campus); and event ticketing (HumanX Summit with tiered CHF 95-630 pricing plus sponsorship). Corporate partners include Coca-Cola HBC, Canton de Vaud, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Accor Group, Canon Marketing Japan, and CERN, while investor distribution is handled through Business Angels Switzerland and SICTIC. The Hub is staffed by 13 employees and operates as a subsidiary of EHL Group under the legal entity EHL Next SA, with no external institutional funding disclosed. Its go-to-market combines event-driven demand generation, community-led startup recruitment (application + jury pitch), and direct sales outreach to corporate and public sector clients via interest forms and dedicated outreach.
EHL Innovation Hub firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EHL Innovation Hub
- Legal name
- EHL Next SA
- Website
- https://innovationhub.ehl.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- EHL Innovation Hub is the innovation arm of EHL Group, operating a startup accelerator and open innovation platform for hospitality and service industries. It supports startups, students, corporates, and investors through programs, events, and partnerships from its Lausanne campus.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EHL Innovation Hub industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Innovation Accelerator Services
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Computer Training (611420)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Venture Creation Centers (EDAHAHAH), Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Technology & Innovation Expos Organizers (THAHABAE), Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD)
Keywords
Where EHL Innovation Hub is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lausanne
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
EHL Innovation Hub business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Corporate Partnership & Consulting Services: The Hub generates revenue through paid services to brands, hospitality groups, tourism boards, and public agencies, including the Venture Growth Program for corporates, Innovation Challenges, innovation center/testbed access, pilot programs, venture building, innovation tours, and event sponsorships. These are sold as structured engagements to enterprise and government clients.
- Startup Membership Fees: Startups and scale-ups pay to join the Hub as members, gaining access to infrastructure (offices and meeting rooms on EHL's Lausanne campus), coaching, mentoring, network connections, financial support (grants and investor introductions), events, visibility, and domiciliation/incorporation support.
- Event Ticketing: The Hub sells tickets to the HumanX Summit and Open Innovation Summit. Ticket tiers include General Admission (CHF 630), Startup tickets (CHF 315), Student/NGO tickets (CHF 95), and Investor Track tickets (CHF 380). These events also generate sponsorship revenue.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | One-time | General Admission - Senior industry professionals and executives |
| Subscription | One-time | Startup/Survey - Early-stage and scale-up ventures |
| Subscription | One-time | Student/NGO - Students and non-profit organizations |
| Subscription | One-time | Investor Track - Professional and corporate investors |
| Subscription | One-time | F&B Startup Booth - Food & beverage concept showcase |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
EHL Innovation Hub product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EHL Innovation Hub operates an innovation accelerator and ecosystem for the hospitality and service industries, combining startup incubation/acceleration programs (Venture Growth Program, SUPA, My Own Start-up), experiential events (HumanX Summit, Innovation Sprint, InnoHub MeetUps), paid corporate services (open Innovation Challenges, research/consulting, Innovation Center & Testbed access, venture building, event sponsorships), industry research reports, and curated investor deal flow. It generates revenue through startup membership fees, corporate partnership and consulting engagements, event ticketing, and sponsorships, while supporting 100+ startups, scale-ups, and student projects annually across 17+ member companies spanning AI hospitality, F&B, travel tech, and EdTech.
Product overview
EHL Innovation Hub is the innovation arm of EHL Group, operating as a multi-program startup ecosystem and innovation services platform for the hospitality and service industries. Its portfolio combines incubation/acceleration programs (Venture Growth Program, SUPA, My Own Start-up Program), short-format experiential events (Innovation Sprint, InnoHub MeetUps), an annual flagship summit (EHL HumanX Summit with an Investor Track), structured open innovation challenge services, industry research reports, and on-campus testbed facilities. The Hub's startup ecosystem includes 17 member companies spanning AI hospitality automation (Inntelo AI, Lobby), food technology (Châtaigne, Food2050), travel tech (BehaviorSMART, CityTourPlayer), talent matching (Paathz), EdTech (ProfessorMe), and hospitality operations (CRQLAR, Smartiz, Colivioo, ShareP, Stream Ocean). These programs collectively provide startups and students with workspace, coaching, mentorship, grant funding, and investor access, while offering corporate and public sector partners innovation challenges, deal flow, and research insights.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- HumanX Summit: Annual flagship summit focused on human experience, excellence, and experimentation in hospitality and service industries.
- EHL Innovation Sprint
- SUPA (Start-Up Pre-Acceleration Program)
- My Own Start-up Program
- Venture Growth Program
Products and services
- Venture Growth Program Six-month growth acceleration program for revenue-generating startups ready to scale, focused on strengthening commercial strategy, validating market fit, international expansion, and investor readiness, backed by EHL's global ecosystem.
- Membership Services Hub membership providing access to fully equipped offices and meeting rooms on EHL's Lausanne campus, personalized coaching from industry experts, financial support through grants and investor introductions, and a community of founders, researchers, and corporate partners.
- Business Development & Internationalization Services Tailored support for scale-ups that have reached product-market fit and are ready for new industries, geographies, or investors. Includes business development, market entry, fundraising, team growth, and advisory board structuring.
- Innovation Challenges Structured open innovation service that helps brands and public sector organizations turn real operational or strategic challenges into structured innovation opportunities. EHL scouts and matches global solutions and guides partnerships through to adoption.
- Industry Innovation Reports Studies, whitepapers, and reports produced by the EHL Innovation Hub designed to help organizations stay ahead of industry shifts and emerging solutions. Research is tailored to innovation priorities to support strategic decision-making.
- Innovation Center & Testbed Facilities On-campus facilities for testing and showcasing technologies with real-time feedback from a global audience, and controlled experiments in a live campus environment before deployment in production.
- EHL Innovation Sprint A 24-hour entrepreneurship challenge open to students from all universities and backgrounds. Participants form multidisciplinary teams, build real solutions, work with expert coaches, and pitch to industry leaders at the EHL Campus in Lausanne.
- Start-Up Pre-Acceleration Program (SUPA) Program supporting students in turning innovative ideas into MVPs through hands-on workshops led by entrepreneurs and industry experts, personalized coaching, and practical tools, culminating in a public presentation during EHL's Open Innovation Summit or HumanX Summit and a certification ceremony.
- My Own Start-up Program Program exclusively for EHL students, allowing them to pursue entrepreneurial ventures in place of their BOSC 4 internship. Selected startups receive support from the EHL Innovation Hub, including access to the ecosystem and supportive community.
- EHL HumanX Summit Annual flagship summit of the EHL Innovation Hub focused on human-centric innovation across hospitality, travel, and service industries. Features inspiring talks, cutting-edge research, workshops, immersive experiences, curated matchmaking, and networking. Includes an Investor Track with curated deal flow for startups.
- HumanX Summit Investor Track Annual curated gateway into Europe's most promising human-centric innovation, bringing together seed and Series A investors — including business angel networks, VCs, corporate VCs, family offices — with startups operating at the intersection of hospitality and service industries.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80% of corporates now consider open innovation as mission-critical (up from 67% in 2023), and organizations with dedicated open innovation structures achieve 73% success rates vs. 51% without them.
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use EHL Innovation Hub
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
EHL Innovation Hub technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability9 records
EHL Innovation Hub partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Coca-Cola HBCflagshipCoca-Cola HBC is the Co-creation Partner for the EHL HumanX Summit 2026. Coca-Cola HBC COO Naya Kalogeraki is a featured speaker at the Summit. Coca-Cola HBC delivered a keynote at the Open Innovation Summit 2025 and hosted the Togetherness Dinner on Day 1 of HumanX Summit 2026.
- Canton de VaudflagshipCanton de Vaud is a Premium Partner/Co-creator of the HumanX Summit 2026 and a co-creator of the event's Open Innovation track. The Canton brought innovation challenges to the EHL Open Innovation Summit 2025 focused on preserving heritage while enabling transformation in Lavaux. Raphaël Conz, Managing Director of SPEI (Office for Economic Affairs and Innovation) for Canton de Vaud, is actively involved.
- Discover CollectioncoreDiscover Collection is a Summit Partner and brought its innovation challenge to the EHL Open Innovation Summit 2025, focused on embedding regeneration in legacy resorts. CEO B&B (Bergondo Brunold) is a speaker at HumanX Summit 2026.
- Canon Marketing JapancoreCanon Marketing Japan is a Summit Partner at HumanX Summit 2026. Patricia Kroondijk, Director of Corporate Venturing at Canon Marketing Japan, participates as a speaker on innovation and corporate venturing topics.
- Four Seasons Hotels & ResortscoreFour Seasons brought the challenge 'Reimagining luxury in the age of AI' to the EHL Open Innovation Summit 2025 as part of the Open Innovation in Hospitality Report 2026 case studies. CEO Christian Clerc participates as a speaker at HumanX Summit 2026.
- Swiss Food & Nutrition ValleycoreSwiss Food & Nutrition Valley is an Ecosystem and Content Partner. CEO Christina Senn-Jakobsen authored a thought leadership article on HospitalityNet about open innovation shaping the future of food, published through the Hub's news platform.
- NVH StudiosminorNVH Studios participated in the Open Innovation Summit 2025, bringing the challenge 'Making luxury truly circular' featured in the Open Innovation in Hospitality Report 2026.
- BachserMärt & ZVF (Sustainable Food Systems)minorBachserMärt and ZVF brought sustainable food systems challenges to the Open Innovation Summit 2025, featured as case studies in the Open Innovation in Hospitality Report 2026.
- Aquatis HotelminorAquatis Hotel has arranged a preferential 15% discount rate for EHL Innovation Hub event participants (InnoHub MeetUps, Innovation Sprint, HumanX Summit). The hotel is the nearest accommodation to the EHL Campus.
- RegenopolisminorRegenopolis, founded by Diane Binder, is an Ecosystem partner. Founder Diane Binder is a speaker at HumanX Summit 2026 discussing regenerative hospitality. The organization co-initiated 700'000 heures Impact in Morocco.
- CERNcoreCERN is a featured keynote partner at HumanX Summit 2026. Paola Catapano, Science Communicator at CERN, is a speaker. CERN's presence bridges science and hospitality innovation, adding credibility to the human-centric innovation theme.
- SisterpreneursminorSisterpreneurs is an Ecosystem and Content Partner at HumanX Summit 2026. Founders Bianca Bonetti and Jennifer Herod are speakers. Sisterpreneurs is a leading community for women entrepreneurs, aligning with the Hub's diversity and inclusion values.
- HotellerieSuissecoreHotellerieSuisse is an Ecosystem and Content Partner. Christian Hürlimann, Director of HotellerieSuisse (since June 2025), is a speaker at HumanX Summit 2026, representing Switzerland's hospitality association.
- Solar Impulse FoundationminorSolar Impulse Foundation is a Summit partner. Robin Henri, Head of Investment Partnerships, participates as a speaker discussing clean technology solutions and investment opportunities in the hospitality sector.
- Global Wellness Institute & Global Wellness SummitminorSusie Ellis, Chair & CEO of the Global Wellness Institute and Global Wellness Summit, is a speaker at HumanX Summit 2026. The Global Wellness Institute is affiliated with the Hub's wellness and wellbeing innovation programming.
- Accor GroupcoreAccor Deputy CEO Jean-Jacques Morin is a featured speaker at HumanX Summit 2026 (fireside chat). Accor's CEO of Sofitel, MGallery & Emblems (Maud Bailly) is also a speaker. Accor's Premier, Midscale & Economy division is represented at the Summit.
- Young Hospitality SummitminorIlona Guérin, President of the Young Hospitality Summit (world's largest student-led hospitality summit), is a speaker at HumanX Summit 2026. The YHS is an Ecosystem partner, representing the next generation of hospitality leaders.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
EHL Innovation Hub competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Station F: World's largest startup campus based in Paris, hosting 1,000+ startups and dozens of partner programs including vertical accelerators. Comparable as a campus-based, multi-program innovation hub with corporate partnerships and event-driven engagement.
- Plug and Play Tech Center: Silicon Valley-headquartered global innovation platform operating industry-vertical accelerator programs (including travel and hospitality) with corporate partnerships. Most directly comparable to EHL Innovation Hub's corporate-partnered, verticalized accelerator model at much larger scale.
- MassChallenge: Global non-profit startup accelerator with industry-vertical programs (including travel/tourism), equity-free structure, and corporate partnership model. Closely mirrors EHL Innovation Hub's no-equity, mentorship-driven approach with strong enterprise engagement.
- Antler: Global early-stage VC and accelerator active across 30+ cities, including in Europe and Asia, with curated cohorts, investor-founder matchmaking, and corporate partner programs. Comparable in scale of deal flow curation and international founder recruitment, though Antler takes equity where EHL Hub does not.
- Impact Hub: Global network of impact-focused innovation hubs with physical workspaces, startup incubation, and community programming across 100+ locations. Shares EHL Innovation Hub's hub-based, ecosystem-building model with membership, events, and corporate engagement.
- Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration - Center for Hospitality Research: Cornell University's hospitality research and industry-engagement center, with corporate partnerships, industry reports, and student startup programs. Most directly comparable to EHL Innovation Hub as a top hospitality business school-affiliated innovation and research arm serving the global hospitality industry.
Broad incumbents
- Techstars: World's largest pre-seed/seed accelerator network with corporate-sponsored programs across multiple verticals including travel and hospitality (e.g., Techstars Hospitality). Operates a similar membership-and-corporate-challenge model but with global reach and equity investment, broader scope than EHL Innovation Hub.
Emerging players
- Skift: Leading media and research platform for travel and hospitality, producing industry reports, hosting events (Skift Forum), and connecting incumbents with innovators. Comparable to EHL Innovation Hub's thought leadership, industry report, and event-driven ecosystem engagement in the same sector.
Others
- Phocuswright: Travel industry research, events, and innovation networking firm running Phocuswright Conference and Innovation Launch. Adjacent to EHL Innovation Hub's industry research and event business; serves a comparable investor-and-corporate audience in the travel/hospitality space.
Regional players
- NUMA (now makesense): European innovation hub and accelerator with programs across Paris, Berlin, Casablanca, and other cities. Offers startup acceleration, corporate innovation services, and event programming, comparable to EHL Innovation Hub's corporate challenges and growth programs, primarily European footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
EHL Innovation Hub social profiles
Digital presenceEHL Innovation Hub financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EHL Innovation Hub leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
EHL Innovation Hub funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EHL Innovation Hub M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about EHL Innovation Hub
What does EHL Innovation Hub do?
EHL Innovation Hub operates an innovation accelerator and ecosystem for the hospitality and service industries, combining startup incubation/acceleration programs (Venture Growth Program, SUPA, My Own Start-up), experiential events (HumanX Summit, Innovation Sprint, InnoHub MeetUps), paid corporate services (open Innovation Challenges, research/consulting, Innovation Center & Testbed access, venture building, event sponsorships), industry research reports, and curated investor deal flow. It generates revenue through startup membership fees, corporate partnership and consulting engagements, event ticketing, and sponsorships, while supporting 100+ startups, scale-ups, and student projects annually across 17+ member companies spanning AI hospitality, F&B, travel tech, and EdTech.
Is EHL Innovation Hub a public or private company?
EHL Innovation Hub is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was EHL Innovation Hub founded?
EHL Innovation Hub was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is EHL Innovation Hub based?
EHL Innovation Hub is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does EHL Innovation Hub make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Corporate Partnership & Consulting Services are the primary driver. The others are startup Membership Fees and event Ticketing.
Who are EHL Innovation Hub's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Station F, Plug and Play Tech Center, MassChallenge, Antler, Impact Hub and Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration - Center for Hospitality Research. Techstars is listed as a broad incumbent. Skift is listed as an emerging player. Phocuswright is listed as an others. NUMA (now makesense) is listed as a regional player.
Does EHL Innovation Hub have an API?
No public API is recorded for EHL Innovation Hub.
What industry is EHL Innovation Hub in?
EHL Innovation Hub's product category is Innovation Accelerator Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated), with a secondary code of EDAHAHAH, Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Venture Creation Centers. Its NAICS code is 56192 and its SIC code is 8600.