Kings III Emergency Communications is taking home the top prize in the AAHOA (Asian American Hotel Owners Association) 2024 Tech Pitch Competition,

Co-Powered by HFTP (Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals). The company, which has been in the emergency communications business for more than 30 years, was recognized for its all-inclusive emergency phone monitoring platform.

Kings III’s pitch highlighted how they help bring hotel elevator communication devices up to recently updated ADA codes for sight- and hearing-impaired guests. Kings III offers a range of elevator help phones (both cellular and standard phone line options) to fit each unique elevator’s needs.

“We never had to target hospitality before because there was never a need, but with code changes that are happening with elevator technology and with landlines going away, there's now a reason hotels need us,” said Clarisa James, Business Development Manager, Hospitality Vertical, Kings III Emergency Communications. “We provide a full turnkey solution for any emergency phone that you need, especially the ones that are code-required – elevators, pools, parking garages, areas of refuge, wheelchair lifts…we do it all.”

A panel of five judges with expertise in technology and hospitality chose Kings III Emergency Communications platform from a field of eight finalists:

1. ADRboost.com by Sara Hospitality

2. Digit7

3. Docyt

4. Innrly

5. Kings III Emergency Communications

6. ProSafe Powered by Wo

7. Royal Basket Trucks, Inc.

8. Wizehire

This year’s panel of esteemed judges was composed of:

● Emcee + Judge: Nishant (Neal) Patel, AAHOA Past Chairman (2022-23)

● Arpit Mehta, Co-Founder & CEO, Data Intellect

● Frank Wolfe, CAE, Chief Executive Officer, HFTP

● Prakash Shukla, Founder & Managing Partner, Wayfare Venture Capital

● Vinit (Vinnie) Patel, CEO of NextTap Hospitality

The AAHOA 2024 Tech Pitch Competition aims to discover and promote companies with groundbreaking ideas and products poised to assist the hospitality industry amid ongoing

challenges, such as workforce shortages and the evolving needs of hotel-staying guests. Notably, this year's competition introduced a unique focus on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in hospitality technology, highlighting solutions geared toward enhancing hoteliers' operational efficiency and profitability.

“It is truly invigorating to witness the diverse array of products and companies showcased in this year's competition,” said AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake. “These innovative technologies offer practical solutions tailored to address the evolving challenges encountered by our members. Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to all participating companies for their relentless pursuit of innovation, as they play a pivotal role in advancing the industry forward.”

AAHOA is dedicated to seeking out cutting-edge technologies that address everyday challenges faced by hotel owners, their staff, and guests. Participating companies presented their innovations to a panel of seasoned judges with expertise in both technology and hospitality.

The winning company earned a complimentary exhibit booth at AAHOACON25 in New Orleans, LA, received unparalleled exposure to over 6,500 attendees, and numerous additional benefits.

“We are in our third year hosting the AAHOA Tech Pitch Competition, I am continually impressed by the caliber of entries and the innovation in our industry,” said AAHOA Chairman Bharat Patel. “As a second-generation hotelier committed to staying abreast and at the forefront of innovation, I’m proud to honor and congratulate Kings III Emergency Communications for their dedication, ingenuity, and creativity in helping to solve issues related to emergency communications.”

James shared some words of encouragement and advice to companies that are thinking about entering the AAHOACON Tech Pitch Competition in the future:

“If you have something that's revolutionizing the hospitality industry, put your name in the hat,” James said. “You never know what's going to happen. We contemplated whether we should actually apply to compete, but after a lot of thought and consideration, it was a

no-brainer. The industry doesn’t know what it doesn’t know, and it's our job to educate.”