Altek AI
The Norway-based corporate was once based in 2024 via Kristoffer S. Pedersen and Jon-Fredrik Hopland.
Ultimate month, the startup introduced it raised $500,000 in a investment spherical led via StartupLab.
What’s your 30-second pitch to buyers?
Altek AI is development the self sufficient AI layer for inns. We automate visitor communique finish to finish throughout electronic mail, internet chat, social messaging, SMS/WhatsApp and voice [and are] deeply built-in into lodge programs like PMS and reserving engines, so inns can ship quicker, extra private carrier with fewer sources.
We’re are living in 37 inns throughout Norway, Sweden and Denmark, rising roughly 26% MoM with roughly $140,000 ARR, and we’ve simply raised $500,000 in a spherical led via StartupLab to scale throughout Europe. We give time again to hoteliers so they may be able to center of attention at the visitors.
Describe each the trade and era sides of your startup.
Industry: Lodges spend monumental [amounts of] money and time on repetitive visitor inquiries and guide coordination throughout channels. We promote a subscription platform to inns and teams that reduces workload, improves reaction instances and will increase conversion/upsell.
Generation: Our platform combines omnichannel messaging, hotel-specific wisdom and deep integrations (PMS, reserving engines and different lodge programs) to let AI brokers get to the bottom of visitor requests, now not simply solution questions. Integrations and self-learning create excessive switching prices and allow actual automation.
Give us your SWOT research of the corporate.
Strengths
- Deep integration method allows actual movements (now not simply replies) and excessive switching prices
- Robust early traction: 37 inns are living throughout 3 nations, speedy iteration pace
- Transparent ache level with measurable ROI (time stored, reaction time, visitor pride)
- Compounding benefit: information and learnings enhance automation and personalization over the years
Weaknesses
- Integration paintings is tough and is usually a bottleneck.
- As an early-stage crew, we should be disciplined about center of attention and product high quality.
- Hospitality is relationship-driven; gross sales cycles can also be variable via section.
Alternatives
- Huge world marketplace: inns are below price force and staffing constraints
- AI adoption inflection level: from assistive gear to self sufficient workflows
- Chain rollouts and partnerships with machine distributors can boost up distribution.
- Growth into voice/telephone and pre-arrival/upsell automation will increase ARPU.
Threats
- Incumbent distributors including “AI options” and bundling into current contracts
- Speedy-moving AI panorama; expectation hole if distributors overpromise/underdeliver
- Regulatory and knowledge/privateness necessities throughout markets
- Aggressive noise from shallow chatbot suppliers developing skepticism
What are the commute ache issues you are attempting to relieve from each the buyer and the trade views?
Buyer (visitor) ache issues
- Sluggish responses, inconsistent solutions throughout channels, having to copy your self
- Low personalization in spite of being a returning visitor
- Friction in adjustments/requests (past due check-out, upgrades, spa bookings, insurance policies)
Trade (lodge/operator) ache issues
- Large guide workload in electronic mail/telephone/messaging that draws team of workers from on-property carrier
- Fragmented programs and knowledge silos resulting in inefficiency and errors
- Staffing shortages and turnover, coaching prices, carrier high quality variability
- Overlooked income from sluggish follow-up and restricted capability for upsell
Now that the product is constructed, what is your technique for buyer acquisition?
We’re executing a land-grab playbook in Scandinavia and Europe. The core is:
- Win reference houses in high-volume segments (lodge/spa, town inns, teams) and report measurable ROI
- Increase inside of teams by means of chain agreements and structured rollout plans
- Partnership distribution with PMS/reserving/tech suppliers and hospitality specialists
- Founder-led undertaking gross sales for strategic accounts, plus scalable outbound for independents
- Product-led retention and enlargement: After we’re built-in, we turn out to be mission-critical and amplify into extra channels/workflows.
Let us know what procedure you’ve gotten long gone via to ascertain a real want in your corporate and the scale of the addressable marketplace.
We began via interviewing a number of inns to know the place the actual operational ache sits: inquiry quantity, staffing constraints, the place requests get caught and why visitor communique nonetheless finally ends up being so guide.
That ended in a pilot undertaking in early 2024 with a big spa lodge outdoor Oslo, Norway. All through the pilot we constructed and examined 4 other AI answers in actual operations. Seeing what labored, and the way temporarily inns followed it when it in reality lowered workload and progressed reaction instances, was once the instant we discovered the possible and transparent product-market have compatibility. We integrated Altek AI on the finish of that pilot in Might 2024.
Since then, we’ve been obsessed with taking note of the trade and our consumers: transport without delay into are living lodge environments, measuring results and iterating speedy in keeping with actual utilization. The most powerful validation has been operational adoption, as soon as the machine is built-in and begins getting rid of repetitive paintings, inns make it a part of their day by day workflow.
Marketplace-wise, visitor communique is a common serve as throughout inns globally, and it’s changing into extra complicated as channels multiply and expectancies upward thrust. Our addressable marketplace contains impartial inns and lodge teams with significant inquiry quantity, particularly the ones operating fashionable tech stacks the place integrations can free up actual automation. We see a big, multibillion world alternative while you mix virtual visitor communique, automation and the AI-native visitor profile layer that powers personalization throughout all the visitor adventure.
How and when will you’re making cash?
We already generate profits: We price inns a habitual subscription, generally priced via estate dimension. We amplify income over the years with further channels and integrations. The type is simple SaaS with sturdy retention as a result of integrations and a machine that ceaselessly learns embed us into operations.
What are the backgrounds and former achievements of the founding crew?
We’re two technical founders from Norway who constructed Altek AI whilst finding out laptop science on the College of Tromsø. We introduced in Might 2024 and signed our first paying buyer a month later.
How have you ever addressed variety and inclusion inside of what you are promoting?
As an early-stage corporate, we’ve considering development an inclusive tradition from day one: structured hiring, transparent position expectancies and a place of business designed to welcome various backgrounds. As we scale, we’ll actively recruit throughout networks past “founder circles,” and we’re prioritizing various candidate slates for each position.
At the product aspect, we construct for accessibility and multilingual visitor communique, a core inclusion factor in hospitality.
What is been probably the most tricky a part of founding the trade to this point?
Opting for center of attention. Hospitality has never-ending edge instances and a fragmented tech panorama, and it’s tempting to chase each integration and have request.
The toughest phase has been staying disciplined: development an AI platform that’s customizable, scalable and doesn’t require a large number of paintings to arrange, with out compromising reliability for inns.
Most often, commute startups face a somewhat tricky time making an affect. Why are you going to be probably the most fortunate ones?
We’re now not promoting “nice-to-have” instrument. We’re getting rid of a measurable operational bottleneck that each lodge feels day by day. The ROI is direct (hours stored, quicker responses, fewer overlooked bookings), and deep integrations create defensibility and retention.
We even have early evidence: Lodges are are living, the use of it day by day and increasing utilization. Upload the timing, hospitality is in the end in a position to undertake AI past experiments, and we imagine we’re situated to turn out to be the core layer reasonably than only a device.
A 12 months from now, what state do you assume your startup will likely be in?
12 months from now we think to have considerably higher the collection of are living inns via workforce rollouts and enlargement outdoor the Nordics, with a more potent presence in Europe and an preliminary U.S. footprint.
Product-wise, we’ll have deeper machine integrations, extra self sufficient workflows and broader channel protection, transferring from “automation of inquiries” to “automation of the visitor adventure.”
What’s your endgame? (Going public, acquisition, rising and staying non-public, and many others.)
Our ambition is to construct the worldwide core AI platform for hospitality—a sturdy, category-leading corporate. We’re development for long-term scale: increasing across the world, proudly owning the visitor communique layer and changing into an crucial a part of lodge operations.
In the end, an IPO is a believable trail if we execute, however we’re open to acquisitions as smartly, so long as it strengthens the platform and marketplace management.
Phocuswright Innovation
Phocuswright Innovation is a platform that fosters a colourful and interconnected neighborhood of innovators, startups, buyers and idea leaders contributing to the entire construction of an innovation ecosystem in commute. The usage of this one hyperlink, startups can know about the entire innovation-related occasions and methods from Phocuswright and PhocusWire.
Altek AI
The Norway-based corporate was once based in 2024 via Kristoffer S. Pedersen and Jon-Fredrik Hopland.
Ultimate month, the startup introduced it raised $500,000 in a investment spherical led via StartupLab.
What’s your 30-second pitch to buyers?
Altek AI is development the self sufficient AI layer for inns. We automate visitor communique finish to finish throughout electronic mail, internet chat, social messaging, SMS/WhatsApp and voice [and are] deeply built-in into lodge programs like PMS and reserving engines, so inns can ship quicker, extra private carrier with fewer sources.
We’re are living in 37 inns throughout Norway, Sweden and Denmark, rising roughly 26% MoM with roughly $140,000 ARR, and we’ve simply raised $500,000 in a spherical led via StartupLab to scale throughout Europe. We give time again to hoteliers so they may be able to center of attention at the visitors.
Describe each the trade and era sides of your startup.
Industry: Lodges spend monumental [amounts of] money and time on repetitive visitor inquiries and guide coordination throughout channels. We promote a subscription platform to inns and teams that reduces workload, improves reaction instances and will increase conversion/upsell.
Generation: Our platform combines omnichannel messaging, hotel-specific wisdom and deep integrations (PMS, reserving engines and different lodge programs) to let AI brokers get to the bottom of visitor requests, now not simply solution questions. Integrations and self-learning create excessive switching prices and allow actual automation.
Give us your SWOT research of the corporate.
Strengths
- Deep integration method allows actual movements (now not simply replies) and excessive switching prices
- Robust early traction: 37 inns are living throughout 3 nations, speedy iteration pace
- Transparent ache level with measurable ROI (time stored, reaction time, visitor pride)
- Compounding benefit: information and learnings enhance automation and personalization over the years
Weaknesses
- Integration paintings is tough and is usually a bottleneck.
- As an early-stage crew, we should be disciplined about center of attention and product high quality.
- Hospitality is relationship-driven; gross sales cycles can also be variable via section.
Alternatives
- Huge world marketplace: inns are below price force and staffing constraints
- AI adoption inflection level: from assistive gear to self sufficient workflows
- Chain rollouts and partnerships with machine distributors can boost up distribution.
- Growth into voice/telephone and pre-arrival/upsell automation will increase ARPU.
Threats
- Incumbent distributors including “AI options” and bundling into current contracts
- Speedy-moving AI panorama; expectation hole if distributors overpromise/underdeliver
- Regulatory and knowledge/privateness necessities throughout markets
- Aggressive noise from shallow chatbot suppliers developing skepticism
What are the commute ache issues you are attempting to relieve from each the buyer and the trade views?
Buyer (visitor) ache issues
- Sluggish responses, inconsistent solutions throughout channels, having to copy your self
- Low personalization in spite of being a returning visitor
- Friction in adjustments/requests (past due check-out, upgrades, spa bookings, insurance policies)
Trade (lodge/operator) ache issues
- Large guide workload in electronic mail/telephone/messaging that draws team of workers from on-property carrier
- Fragmented programs and knowledge silos resulting in inefficiency and errors
- Staffing shortages and turnover, coaching prices, carrier high quality variability
- Overlooked income from sluggish follow-up and restricted capability for upsell
Now that the product is constructed, what is your technique for buyer acquisition?
We’re executing a land-grab playbook in Scandinavia and Europe. The core is:
- Win reference houses in high-volume segments (lodge/spa, town inns, teams) and report measurable ROI
- Increase inside of teams by means of chain agreements and structured rollout plans
- Partnership distribution with PMS/reserving/tech suppliers and hospitality specialists
- Founder-led undertaking gross sales for strategic accounts, plus scalable outbound for independents
- Product-led retention and enlargement: After we’re built-in, we turn out to be mission-critical and amplify into extra channels/workflows.
Let us know what procedure you’ve gotten long gone via to ascertain a real want in your corporate and the scale of the addressable marketplace.
We began via interviewing a number of inns to know the place the actual operational ache sits: inquiry quantity, staffing constraints, the place requests get caught and why visitor communique nonetheless finally ends up being so guide.
That ended in a pilot undertaking in early 2024 with a big spa lodge outdoor Oslo, Norway. All through the pilot we constructed and examined 4 other AI answers in actual operations. Seeing what labored, and the way temporarily inns followed it when it in reality lowered workload and progressed reaction instances, was once the instant we discovered the possible and transparent product-market have compatibility. We integrated Altek AI on the finish of that pilot in Might 2024.
Since then, we’ve been obsessed with taking note of the trade and our consumers: transport without delay into are living lodge environments, measuring results and iterating speedy in keeping with actual utilization. The most powerful validation has been operational adoption, as soon as the machine is built-in and begins getting rid of repetitive paintings, inns make it a part of their day by day workflow.
Marketplace-wise, visitor communique is a common serve as throughout inns globally, and it’s changing into extra complicated as channels multiply and expectancies upward thrust. Our addressable marketplace contains impartial inns and lodge teams with significant inquiry quantity, particularly the ones operating fashionable tech stacks the place integrations can free up actual automation. We see a big, multibillion world alternative while you mix virtual visitor communique, automation and the AI-native visitor profile layer that powers personalization throughout all the visitor adventure.
How and when will you’re making cash?
We already generate profits: We price inns a habitual subscription, generally priced via estate dimension. We amplify income over the years with further channels and integrations. The type is simple SaaS with sturdy retention as a result of integrations and a machine that ceaselessly learns embed us into operations.
What are the backgrounds and former achievements of the founding crew?
We’re two technical founders from Norway who constructed Altek AI whilst finding out laptop science on the College of Tromsø. We introduced in Might 2024 and signed our first paying buyer a month later.
How have you ever addressed variety and inclusion inside of what you are promoting?
As an early-stage corporate, we’ve considering development an inclusive tradition from day one: structured hiring, transparent position expectancies and a place of business designed to welcome various backgrounds. As we scale, we’ll actively recruit throughout networks past “founder circles,” and we’re prioritizing various candidate slates for each position.
At the product aspect, we construct for accessibility and multilingual visitor communique, a core inclusion factor in hospitality.
What is been probably the most tricky a part of founding the trade to this point?
Opting for center of attention. Hospitality has never-ending edge instances and a fragmented tech panorama, and it’s tempting to chase each integration and have request.
The toughest phase has been staying disciplined: development an AI platform that’s customizable, scalable and doesn’t require a large number of paintings to arrange, with out compromising reliability for inns.
Most often, commute startups face a somewhat tricky time making an affect. Why are you going to be probably the most fortunate ones?
We’re now not promoting “nice-to-have” instrument. We’re getting rid of a measurable operational bottleneck that each lodge feels day by day. The ROI is direct (hours stored, quicker responses, fewer overlooked bookings), and deep integrations create defensibility and retention.
We even have early evidence: Lodges are are living, the use of it day by day and increasing utilization. Upload the timing, hospitality is in the end in a position to undertake AI past experiments, and we imagine we’re situated to turn out to be the core layer reasonably than only a device.
A 12 months from now, what state do you assume your startup will likely be in?
12 months from now we think to have considerably higher the collection of are living inns via workforce rollouts and enlargement outdoor the Nordics, with a more potent presence in Europe and an preliminary U.S. footprint.
Product-wise, we’ll have deeper machine integrations, extra self sufficient workflows and broader channel protection, transferring from “automation of inquiries” to “automation of the visitor adventure.”
What’s your endgame? (Going public, acquisition, rising and staying non-public, and many others.)
Our ambition is to construct the worldwide core AI platform for hospitality—a sturdy, category-leading corporate. We’re development for long-term scale: increasing across the world, proudly owning the visitor communique layer and changing into an crucial a part of lodge operations.
In the end, an IPO is a believable trail if we execute, however we’re open to acquisitions as smartly, so long as it strengthens the platform and marketplace management.
Phocuswright Innovation
Phocuswright Innovation is a platform that fosters a colourful and interconnected neighborhood of innovators, startups, buyers and idea leaders contributing to the entire construction of an innovation ecosystem in commute. The usage of this one hyperlink, startups can know about the entire innovation-related occasions and methods from Phocuswright and PhocusWire.
