Apply
Founder Institute Image

Umni, an FI alumnus with a no-code AI chatbot technology, proudly announced the addition of the "Special Award of the Ministry of Tourism - 2023, for Innovation in Tourism" by the Ministry of Tourism of Bulgaria to its impressive collection of accolades.

This prestigious award was personally presented to Umni’s co-founder, Elitza Stoilova, by the Minister of Tourism, Zaritza Dinkova, at an official ceremony on December 14, 2023. The event, under the patronage of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bulgaria, Acad. Nikolay Denkov, highlighted Umni's significant contributions to the tourism industry.

This recognition marks the culmination of a highly successful year for Umni. Currently, the company is a finalist in the BoostX ScaleUp Tourism Startup Program in Portugal, a collaborative venture between NEST Portugal, Turismo de Portugal, and NOVA Medical School. The program recognizes companies that significantly impact the tourism industry by providing sustainable, safe, and healthy services. Umni's inclusion in the top 5 finalists, selected from 157 applicants across 15 countries, underscores its global impact.

Umni also shone at the annual UN organizations conference earlier in December. Invited as "Champions of Innovation" by the UNWTO, Umni showcased a project for a tourism AI chatbot developed on its no-code AI chatbot platform. Glenn Cauwenberghs, Senior Project Specialist on Innovation at the UNWTO, commented that Champions of Innovation are praised for their local community impact and sustainability.

This isn't Umni's first recognition by the UNWTO. In March 2023, Umni triumphed in the UNWTO Global Startup Competition in the Canary Islands with a similar tourism AI chatbot project. Additionally, Umni's CEO, Elitza Stoilova, was a featured speaker at a side conference of the 68th meeting of the UNWTO Commission for Europe, discussing the influence of AI on tourism.

Adding to its achievements, Umni was honored with the EU Travel Award 2023 as the Best Hotel & Travel Communication AI Service in Bulgaria.

Umni's platform enables businesses to effortlessly create and manage AI chatbots, automate routine tasks, and enhance direct sales and marketing efforts. Known as the "Swiss Knife of business communication", the platform integrates conversational AI and GPT technologies, helping businesses to provide 24/7 support, reduce costs, and enhance user experience by optimizing customer interactions and employee performance. In 2023, Umni experienced a 230% increase in its customer base, including diverse clients like regional library, universities, non-profit organizations, luxury hotels, online stores and various service businesses.

Looking ahead to 2024, Umni anticipates even greater success. With six years in the chatbot market and technology becoming a staple for businesses of all sizes, Umni is poised for another groundbreaking year.

 
*  *  *

Graduates of the Founder Institute are creating some of the world's fastest growing startups, having raised over $1.75BN in funding, and building products people love across over 200 cities worldwide.

See the most recent news from our Grads at FI.co/news, or learn more about their stories at FI.co/graduates


Related Insights

More insights
Founder Institute Image
Grad News

Founder Institute Dallas Produces 5 New Technology Companies

By Sana Balti on Mar 15, 2024
Founder Institute Image
Grad News

Founder Institute and The Entrelliance Foundation Launch a New Leadership Lab Program for Startup Founders

By Emiliya Strahilova on Feb 29, 2024
Founder Institute Image
Grad News

Founder Institute Lagos Produces 11 New Technology Companies

By Sana Balti on Feb 28, 2024

Are you ready to apply to the world's largest pre-seed accelerator?

Apply to the Program