Today SAP and Lufthansa launched an idea contest to uncover blockchain applications for the aviation sector.
Lufthansa is planning to run blockchain pilots within the Lufthansa Innovation Forum in Frankfurt. The contest is the first step in that process.
Categories
The companies are looking for ideas in three categories.
The first category of applications targets travelers. This might include booking, buying flight tickets, loyalty programs, and airport identification. The aim is to make the experience efficient and frictionless.
Secondly, there’s a category for airlines. For example by improving processes or sharing data across the company.
Finally, they’re looking for ideas that target suppliers. Hence applications that reimagine maintenance, or document tracking, or digitization and document verification.
The companies plan to select three teams in each category. The prize is access to SAP’s Blockchain-as-a-Service platform and mentoring from Lufthansa as well as access to their ecosystem.
The closing date for applications is the end of August 2018.
Comments
“By combining our aviation industry expertise with the blockchain technology of a world market leader, we are creating the ideal worldwide framework for addressing blockchain entrepreneurs with an affinity for travel and mobility,” said Thorsten Dirks, Lufthansa
board member.
Deepak Krishnamurthy, SAP’s Chief Strategy Officer, said: “SAP is excited to partner with Lufthansa on this startup innovation challenge to reinvent the traveler experience, airline operations and supply chain with Blockchain.”
“With our industry leading SAP Leonardo Blockchain platform and Lufthansa’s market leadership and expertise in Aviation, we can foster a new innovation ecosystem that can potentially transform the entire travel industry.”
Sector activity
Several airlines previously announced blockchain awards programs, including Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, and AirAsia. On the freight side, Swissport partnered with two blockchain startups to streamline cargo handling.
Earlier this week Accenture and Thales demonstrated an aerospace supply chain application. Finally, SITA, the technology company owned by the industry announced an Aviation Blockchain Sandbox two weeks ago.
