Wednesday, June 25, 2025 — Last month at Travel Tech’s second annual Policy & Innovation Showcase, Brandon Palumbo, Director of Policy and Government Relations at Travel Tech, moderated a panel discussion titled “Navigating the Unique Needs of Travel Tech Start-ups.” The panel explored the specific challenges these companies face, including securing funding and managing complex tax and regulatory environments.
Panelists included:
- Tomasz Pawliszyn, CEO, AirHelp
- Branda Fan, Founder and CEO, Nowy
- Cara Whitehill, Vice President, Thayer Investment Partners
The discussion centered around what public policies exist in the United States that support start-ups, as well as those that are needed to help them thrive. Panelists also talked about what investors look for in early-stage companies and what policymakers are missing that could help encourage and incentivize investment.
Tomasz Pawliszyn explained how the United States is leading the way in investment and how a majority of those in the travel tech industry come from the US, emphasizing the need for policies that protect investments and allow the start-up ecosystem to grow. He also highlighted the importance of regulations that stimulate innovation for start-ups and incentivize investors to invest due to the risky nature of start-ups.
Branda Fan discussed Nowy’s fundraising journey and the difficulties early-stage founders face with getting venture funding. She also talked about her concerns with state-level patchwork legislation on investment and avoiding policies that require start-ups to deal with a full regulatory load at an early stage.
Cara Whitehill shared one of the challenges in the start-up investment environment — that angel investors must be accredited and meet certain criteria, which limits investment. As such, she called for an expanded pool of capital to increase the number of people who can invest and the need for more policies that foster more innovation and make it easier for start-ups to “devote as much of their dollars to innovate” as possible.
Travel Tech continues to advocate for public policies that allow travel tech start-ups and SMBs to retain more of their earnings, have greater access to capital and compete in the A.I. marketplace. Learn about Travel Tech’s policy priorities and support R&D Expensing, Bonus Depreciation, and S. 695 at the Policy Action Center.
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The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech) empowers traveler choice by advocating for public policy that promotes marketplace transparency and competition. Travel Tech represents the leading innovators in travel technology, including online travel agencies, metasearch engines, short-term rental platforms, global distribution systems, and travel management companies.
To schedule an interview with a Travel Tech spokesperson, contact Bradford Williamson of Glen Echo Group at 202.870.3234 or bwilliamson@glenechogroup.com.
