March 6, 2026 — The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech) recently sponsored Travel Massive SF’s community event, bringing together travel startup founders, operators, creators, and investors for Innovation Night: Building the Future of Travel. The event took place on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the Hotel Emblem in San Francisco, and featured a live panel moderated by Travel Tech President & CEO Laura Chadwick.
The all-female panel included:
- Hayley Melidonis, CEO & Founder of Bubbl
- Anjali Kakkad, Lead TPM, Google Maps & Founder, Aligned Rewards
- Kavitha Ramaswamy, Chief of Staff at Mercurius Media Capital
The discussion focused on the barriers to innovation that the travel tech innovators and broader travel industry face, especially during this new AI era. The group discussed launching early products, landing the first 100 customers, testing new tools, and navigating growth in a complex global market. Panelists shared candid insights on what makes travel tech startups succeed, from integrating systems efficiently to prioritizing solutions that address real industry challenges.
Travel Tech sponsored the event to support Travel Massive’s San Francisco Chapter and to promote Travel Tech’s Start-Up Membership program for early-stage travel tech start-ups.
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The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech) empowers traveler choice by advocating for public policy that promotes transparency, competition and innovation. Travel Tech represents travel technology innovators ranging from dynamic startups, small, and midsize businesses to leading 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 rtownsend@belverapartners.com.
