The VRTECH Startup Competition is an annual contest where vacation rental tech startups compete for a chance to win the title “The Most Innovative Vacation Rental Startup of the Year”.
The contest was organised for the 5th consecutive time in 2021, sponsored by Rentals United and HOWZAT Partners, and came to a head at the Vacation Rental World Summit in Annecy, France.
Out of the 20 shortlisted participants, three were chosen by public vote, a panel of judges and a panel of property managers. The startups who made it to the final presented their products on stage at the Vacation Rental World Summit, and one of them was chosen to take home the VRTECH Award.
So, which of the finalists do you think stood out the most to the audience of property managers, owners and industry experts? Was it Vintory, Rented or Turbosuite? Find out below.
VRTECH Award winners over the years
Before we announce this year’s winner, let’s look back on the VRTECH Awardees of the past four years. They’re all companies that have gone out to achieve great things since their win. This year’s winner will be joining an illustrious crowd!
2020 VRTECH Award Winner: Revyoos
Revyoos is a review aggregator for short-term rentals. It allows property managers to gather all their reviews spread across different platforms in one place, with an easy-to-use widget. This allows you to utilise reviews as social proof on your website, establish trust and attract direct bookings.
2019 VRTECH Award Winner: Operto
Operto is an all-rounder property automation platform. It allows short-term rental managers to integrate all their access control and smart devices into one, super-connected system. As a result, you can completely transform the guest experience and turn your business into a well-oiled, tech-enabled machine.
2018 VRTECH Award Winner: Stasher
Stasher is a global luggage storage provider. It allows travellers to search and book affordable luggage storage online. Bags can be stored at verified shops and hotels so travellers can enjoy the day knowing that their luggage is safe and secure.
2017 VRTECH Award Winner: HelloHere
HelloHere is a vacation rental check-in app. It allows property managers to streamline their guest communication with automated messages and a digital guestbook. Furthermore, HelloHere offers upselling features to help you maximise profit.
And the winner of the VRTECH Award 2021 is…
Rented
Rented is a revenue management company offering full-service revenue management and its own automated rate tool called Art. It helps property managers optimise their portfolios with pricing and management tools.
Rented’s Automated Rate Tool (Art) is a dynamic pricing tool that allows property managers to set the right price at the right time for their vacation rentals. It provides recommended nightly rates based on current data and helps property managers to make informed decisions on pricing while also automating those rates across channels.
Here is what Rented’s CEO Andrew McConnell had to say on winning the competition:
“I cannot overstate how much this means to me, and the entire team at Rented. VRTECH in general, and Vanessa in particular, do a tremendous job keeping a pulse on the best of the best when it comes to innovation in vacation rental technology.
To have Art, the Automated Rate Tool by Rented that is the first and only of its kind built for and by professional vacation rental managers, recognized by hundreds of our global peers as the best innovation of the year is a great vote of confidence.
This is all part of our commitment to bringing the best in class technology to local managers, enabling them to also compete and win on their own stage.”
Vanessa de Souza Lage, founder of VRTECH says:
“This year Annecy provided such an incredible background for bringing the community and the startup competition back together again. We congratulate this year’s winner, Rented, and the nominees for their significant roles in shaping the startup tech world of the vacation rental industry. ”
See you next year!
Thank you so much to all that were involved, including all the 20 startups who participated in the competition.
If you would like to take part in next year’s VRTECH Awards, sign up to become a member of VRTECH events. You’ll be the first to get notified when applications open.
Until then, let’s continue to support innovative startups in the vacation rental industry and build the community together!
