Lufthansa Innovation Hub

Airline Corporate Venture Capital Fund

Overview of Lufthansa Innovation Hub

A Vanguard in Travel Industry Innovation

The Lufthansa Innovation Hub stands as a beacon of pioneering work in the travel industry, driven by a mission to take travel to new, uncharted destinations. As an integral part of the Lufthansa Group, this hub is not just about funding; it's about redefining the travel experience for everyone. Comprising a diverse team of founders, venture capitalists, strategic designers, tech analysts, and transformation professionals, the hub embodies a unique blend of expertise and passion for travel. Their work is rooted in a deep understanding of the travel industry's evolving dynamics, with a commitment to translating these changes into tangible business opportunities.

A Culture of Continuous Innovation and Strategic Partnerships

At the core of the Lufthansa Innovation Hub is a relentless pursuit of making travel easier, more comfortable, and more pleasant. This is achieved through a culture that challenges the status quo and believes in pushing boundaries. The team's expertise spans the entire travel chain, focusing on areas where travel can be enhanced through digital solutions, whether developed in-house or by startups in which they invest.

Investment Thesis of Lufthansa Innovation Hub

Strategic Intelligence and New Business Ventures

1. Strategic Intelligence: The hub's Strategic Intelligence team is dedicated to systematically analyzing global travel and mobility tech ecosystems. By combining advanced research methodologies with a deep-rooted curiosity, they identify early market signals, detect trends, and translate these into industry thought leadership.

2. New Business: The New Business team is focused on unlocking new value pools by launching novel business models and screening the market for potential partnerships or investment opportunities with startups external to the Lufthansa Group.

Transformation and Empowerment

The Transformation team plays a crucial role in understanding and implementing the mindset, culture, and operating models necessary for innovation at scale within a corporate context. They translate these insights into practical applications, empowering innovation at all levels within the Lufthansa Group.

Collaboration and Co-Creation

Lufthansa Innovation Hub is on a quest to collaborate with innovative partners, including big tech players, scale-ups, and startups. They emphasize the synergy created by combining unique assets, ideas, or technologies with those of the Lufthansa Group, leading to exceptional products, services, and new business models.

Startup Empowerment and Founder Program

The hub identifies challenges within Lufthansa Group’s business units and scouts for the best startup solutions and products to address them. They offer a six-month Founder Program for entrepreneurs to incubate their venture, providing a pathway from idea to market entry and scaling.

Investment in Transformative Ideas

Lufthansa Innovation Hub invests in startups and visionary founders with ideas capable of transforming the industry. They offer more than capital; they provide strategic partnership, mentorship, and access to a global network of industry experts, acting as dedicated allies to entrepreneurs on their journey.

*Last update: November 2023