TechCrunch
HotelQuickly Raises $1.16M Series A To Expand In Asia
Hotel booking app HotelQuickly has raised a series A round of HKD$9 million (about $1.16 million USD). Investors include Boon Hwee Koh, the former chairman of Singtel and Singapore Airlines. The startup says it will use the funding for product development and to expand further through the Asia Pacific region, where it currently operates in 11 countries.
Headquartered in Hong Kong, HotelQuickly’s founding team includes two ex-Rocket Internet executives. Like Rocket Internet’s business strategy, HotelQuickly takes an existing model and replicates it in a new market. In this case, the last-minute hotel booking app is modeled after San Francisco-based HotelTonight.
Though the two previously operated in different markets, HotelQuickly will face increased competition as HotelTonight, which has raised a total of $36 million since its launch in 2010, expands globally. HotelTonight said that it will use its recent Series D funding of $45 million to expand into markets including Asia (one of its latest investors is GGV Capital, which specializes in U.S. and Asian companies). The two companies will not only compete with each other in the region, but also CheckInTonight and Hot Hotels.
Europe, Come Build With Us! Here Are The Very First Tickets To The Disrupt Europe Hackathon
Hey, Berlin! Come show us what you’ve got.
In just over a month, we’re bringing the TechCrunch Disrupt Conference to Europe for the very first time — and with it, one of our big ol’ Hackathons. Our Disrupt Europe 2013 Hackathon will run overnight from Oct 26-27th.
If you’ve never been to one of our Hackathons, here’s what you need to know: once you’re in, you’ve got just shy of 24 hours to build the best, most incredible thing you and your self-selected team can build from the ground up.
At the end of the crazy, exhausting, overnight sprint, you’ve got 60 seconds to pitch your team’s hack in a battle for fame, glory, and a bunch of crazy prizes. The top team takes home $5,000 dollars in cash, and the top three teams get to present their projects in front of the massively influential audience at the main Disrupt conference. There will also be a bunch of fantastic prizes from our API sponsors, but we’ll announce those in just a few weeks
So, what should you build? Something amazing. Something clever. Something that shows just how crazy talented you and your teammates are. Remember: this is a Hackathon. Our judges wont be looking for the thing with the best potential business model — they’re looking for something that makes them stop and say “Whoa.“
We’re changing things up a bit this time around. Since it’s our first big event outside of the US in some time, we’re keepin’ the attendee list for this Hackathon a bit smaller than its stateside counterparts. We’ve got a newly polished set of rules to keep things fair and to help make sure everyone at the event has a great time and, like all of TechCrunch’s upcoming events, our anti-harassment policy is in full effect here.
Oh, and just to sweeten the deal a bit more: even if you don’t take one of the top three spots or win one of the awesome API sponsor prizes, there’s still something great up for grabs. Each of the top 40-or-so teams (with the final number depending on how many teams enter) who present will get two tickets to the entirety of the Disrupt Europe conference, normally valued at nearly $1k each. Why? Because we think you’re rad.
As long as you’re building something, participating in the Hackathon is free. Interested sponsors, give us a shout.
Tickets:
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