Giant Stride’s Journey to the TAT Travel Tech Startup 2024 Finals

By Jaruda Suppakarnpanich Date 19 Feb 2025

Discover Giant Stride’s journey as a finalist in the TAT Travel Tech Startup 2024! Learn how we’re using technology to transform scuba diving travel, our experience in the competition, and key takeaways for the future. Join us as we dive into innovation, sustainability, and the future of Thailand’s travel tech industry!

The TAT Travel Tech Startup competition, organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), supports innovative businesses in the tourism industry, creating opportunities for growth. This year, around 100 startups applied, and we at Giant Stride decided to take the leap and join the competition.

After a tough selection process, we were thrilled to be chosen as one of the 12 finalists. This is a major milestone for us, as we’ve never competed at this scale before. To be recognized as one of Thailand’s top travel tech startups is not only an achievement but also a validation of our vision to transform scuba diving travel.

What is the TAT Travel Tech Startup 2024?

The TAT Travel Tech Startup 2024 is a competition organized by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) to support and promote startups that use technology to improve the travel industry. The goal is to encourage innovation, create new business opportunities, and help Thailand’s tourism sector grow. It’s a platform for startups to showcase their ideas, get feedback, and connect with experts. Startups in areas like travel booking, AI tourism solutions, and sustainable travel tech are part of this event. With many applicants each year, only the most promising startups are selected as finalists, making it a highly competitive and prestigious program.

Why We Joined the TAT Travel Tech Startup 2024

At Giant Stride, we’re building an online travel agency (OTA) for scuba diving, using technology to make booking dive trips easier, more transparent, and more accessible for everyone. But our vision goes beyond just booking—we want to promote, drive, and elevate Thailand’s scuba diving industry by connecting divers with the best experiences while supporting sustainable tourism.

When we heard about the TAT Travel Tech Startup 2024, we knew it was the perfect opportunity for us. The competition’s focus on innovation in travel tech aligned with our mission, and we saw it as a chance to learn, grow, and connect with others in the industry. We wanted to:

Learn more about the travel tech industry to keep improving our platform and services.
Gain exposure for Giant Stride, getting our name out there and showing what we do.
Build connections with other travel startups in Thailand and be part of a growing ecosystem.
Catch up with the eco-tourism trend and find ways to integrate sustainability into our business model.

Joining the competition wasn’t just about competing—it was about learning, evolving, and positioning ourselves for the future of travel tech and scuba diving in Thailand.

So, when we heard about the competition in September 2024, we decided to apply. Around 100 startups applied, but only 12 teams would be selected for the program. On October 17, 2024, we were thrilled to find out that we made it to the finals as one of the 12 selected teams in the TAT Travel Tech Startup 2024!

Our Journey to the Finals

The competition ran from October 22 to November 26, 2024, and we took part in various activities and workshops that helped us refine our project and pitch.

Bootcamp #1 - October 29, 2024

The first bootcamp introduced us to the competition criteria and gave each startup the chance to pitch their project for the first time. Benz, our founder, was the one who presented our business and he did an excellent job pitching and I think he nailed the pitch! The judges gave us feedback right away, and we were happy to hear that they thought Giant Stride was an interesting idea.

They pointed out that scuba diving is a big part of Thailand’s tourism industry, which was great to hear. They also suggested we should consider adding an eco-friendly element to our business to strengthen our brand and help protect the marine environment. This was a key takeaway for us, and we knew we had to keep this in mind. After receiving feedback, we went back and worked on revising our presentation for Bootcamp #2 on November 13, 2024.

TAT Startup Bootcamp: Knowledge Sharing & Workshop Session

This special session, hosted by CIRCO Hub Thailand, was focused on optimizing resources and creating value in the circular economy. We worked on mapping out the customer journey and examining how we could create value at each step. The main takeaway from this session was the importance of balancing business profit with creating environmental value. We learned that by reducing redundant processes and saving energy, we could not only benefit the environment but also enhance our profitability. This perspective is shaping the direction of Giant Stride moving forward.

Bootcamp #2 - November 13, 2024

At the start of Bootcamp #2, each startup drew lots to determine the pitch sequence for Opportunity Day on November 26, 2024, the final round of the competition. Giant Stride got to be the second team to present for the Opportunity Day. During this bootcamp, we had another opportunity to pitch our project after revising it based on the feedback we received during Bootcamp #1. The judges provided more feedback, which we used to improve our pitch for the final round.

Opportunity Day - November 26, 2024

The Opportunity Day (the final round) was held at SCBX NEXT TECH in Siam Paragon, and each startup had 5 minutes to pitch followed by 10 minutes of Q&A with the judges. Benz gave an outstanding presentation, and we were pleased to receive positive feedback from the judges. They were impressed with our business and its potential to contribute to Thailand's tourism industry. Although we didn’t make it into the top 3, we felt proud to have made it this far and are grateful for the experience. We met some incredible startups and got great feedback that we can use to keep improving

Key Takeaways and What’s Next?

Participating in the TAT Travel Tech Startup 2024 competition has been a transformative experience for Giant Stride. Here are the key takeaways from this journey:

The Importance of Feedback: The judges’ feedback was so valuable. It helped us refine our ideas and reminded us how important it is to be open to criticism and always strive to improve.
Networking and Collaboration: This competition allowed us to connect with amazing startups and organizations within Thailand’s startup ecosystem. We’re excited to explore collaborations and new opportunities going forward.
Confidence and Refinement: The positive feedback we received gave us a huge confidence boost. It reassured us that we’re on the right track with Giant Stride and that our mission to transform scuba diving travel is something people believe in.

What’s Next?

While we didn’t make it to the final 3, this experience has only motivated us to work even harder and strive for more. We will continue refining our business, expanding our network, and pushing forward with our goal of revolutionizing the scuba diving industry in Thailand. We’re already looking ahead to future competitions, new partnerships, and even more innovative ideas to bring to life.

This is just the beginning for Giant Stride! We’re excited for the future and committed to making a lasting impact on Thailand’s tourism and diving industry.

Conclusion

Being part of the TAT Travel Tech Startup 2024 competition has been an incredible experience for Giant Stride. Although we didn’t make it to the final 3, we’re grateful for the chance to showcase our vision for transforming scuba diving travel. Along the way, we learned so much, made meaningful connections, and received valuable feedback that will help us grow.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to TAT, the judges, and all the participants for creating such a supportive environment. The experience has not only boosted our credibility but has also opened new doors for collaboration within the Thai startup ecosystem. We’re more motivated than ever to improve Giant Stride and contribute to the growth of Thailand’s tourism industry. This is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds. Stay tuned for more exciting updates as we keep pushing forward!

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