In partnership with the FTE Innovation & Startup Hub, the recent FTE APEX Virtual Expo 2021 provided an opportunity for some of the most forward-thinking startups and scaleups in the travel tech space to showcase their innovative solutions. From AI-based baggage identification and self-service tech to data management and sustainability solutions – see how these nine startups can help the industry bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic, create additional revenue streams and enhance the end-to-end passenger experience. BagsID Network BagsID Network is a baggage identification solution that uses artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning, and computer vision to build smarter baggage solutions for the travel industry. It can detect individual bags by their unique physical characteristics (including scratches, dents and other features) through the technology behind biometrics and photo recognition. The solution creates less waste, is better for the environment, is more accurate (99% read rate), and can create additional revenue streams through more efficient loading and forecasting. The solution can detect individual bags by their unique physical characteristics (including scratches, dents and other features), using biometrics and photo recognition, and is a promising replacement for barcode and RFID. “The idea of BagsID started pre-pandemic and we are very pleased that, despite these challenges, the airport and airline industry is still eager to make change and collaborate,” says Marlon van der Meer, founder and CEO of BagsID Network. “Legacy baggage identification solutions are in their final stage of their lifecycle and RFID is not taking off for obvious reasons. It is simply too expensive and applications are too limited. Data extracted out of images is the key for new possibilities. We are here to be that solution, and we are here to stay. Baggage has an enormous impact on passenger experience, revenue, and on the environment, yet it is often a deliberately overlooked part of the air travel industry. BagsID will change that.”