AI Takes Flight: FTE Innovation Hub Unites Aviation and Startups at Microsoft in Dublin
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Innovation leaders from across the global air transport industry convened on Tuesday at Microsoft in Dublin for the Future Travel Experience (FTE) Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub. Nearly 100 aviation executives, airport authorities, technology providers, and startup founders joined forces to address some of the industry’s most urgent challenges. The gathering marked a shift from discussion to execution as the aviation ecosystem deepened its commitment to practical, scalable innovation.
Future Travel Experience Chief Operating Officer Ryan Ghee opened the day by emphasising the value of shared progress. “This community is about real connections not just conversations,” said Ghee. “Together we are proving that aviation innovation does not have to wait for the future. We can build it now.”
Southwest Airlines Head of Emerging Trends, Kevin Kleist, then spoke about the importance of collaboration between large organizations and startups in an open innovation ecosystem. “Organizations have challenges while entrepreneurs and startups have solutions,” said Kleist. “We need to work together and collaborate to share experiences and learn from each other.”
The event progressed far beyond keynote speeches. Participants explored responsible AI adoption, integration-ready startup solutions, and new models for partnership between legacy carriers, airports, and emerging tech providers.
Microsoft Urges Aviation to Act Now on AI
Artificial intelligence took centre stage early in the day. Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Go-To-Market Manager Ireland Russell Banks challenged attendees to treat AI as a priority, not a future experiment. He compared the current moment to the early days of cloud computing, when many companies delayed action due to uncertainty and ultimately lost ground.
“AI is sparking the same blend of challenges and opportunities we witnessed with the rise of cloud technology a decade ago,” said Banks. “Leaders are asking: how do we adopt AI securely, empower our teams through training, and truly unlock its value?”
Banks explained that Microsoft Copilot tools have assisted teams in reducing repetitive tasks, saving hours per week. He encouraged aviation leaders to begin using AI now for tasks such as document search and meeting notes support, rather than waiting until every detail is perfected.
Delaying adoption, he explained, risks exposure to unregulated AI use. Many employees are already turning to freely available AI tools to work on corporate docs, presentations and data – often without company oversight.
“This is not a question of whether your business is using AI. It already is. The real issue is whether you have the visibility and control you need,” said Banks.
Startups Show Results, Not Just Ideas
Innovation translated directly into operational readiness as five high-growth startups took the stage to present proven solutions. Each showcased technology already deployed or in active pilots, reinforcing the event’s focus on real-world progress.
Weather-related delays cost airlines billions annually. Causal Labs introduced a physics-based weather modelling tool built from autonomous driving AI that accelerates dispatcher decision-making during irregular operations. “Airlines that make complex decisions the fastest win,” said Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Dar Mehta.
Causal Lab’s AI works with any airline’s current system using a flexible API, so airlines can get powerful weather insights without needing to change anything they already use. They were inspired to join APEX for easier access to the airline market.
Conversational automation gained attention as Hello Lamp Post presented an AI-driven system that transforms airport terminals into responsive, self-reporting environments. Passengers engage the platform for directions, feedback, and issue reporting, while airport teams receive actionable data in real time. “We’re providing a digital staff member in every corner of an airport 24/7,” said Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Tiernan Mines.
Cybersecurity concerns found a fresh approach through UrbanFox, which uses generative adversarial networks to simulate fraud and improve threat detection without relying on personal data. “Fraudsters are not buying rules anymore. They are reverse-engineering them,” said Founder and Chief Executive Officer Daniel Loftus. “We built a machine that thinks like a fraudster.”
Ancillary revenue took the spotlight as Arcube unveiled a platform that enables airlines to launch up to 12 new digital products in six weeks. Etihad Airways already generated $1.6 million during a pilot phase. “We expect $35 million in revenue across additional partnerships,” said Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Prithveesh Reddy.
Training modernisation closed the startup showcase as ARuVR demonstrated immersive VR and AR tools that prepare aviation workers for low-frequency, high-impact scenarios. “People do not rise to the occasion. They fall to their level of preparation,” said Chief Executive Officer Paul Morton. “Immersive tech lets people train for the moments that matter most.”
Enterprise Ireland Builds Aviation-Ready Startups
Public-sector support played a key role in several of the showcased startups. Enterprise Ireland Senior Client Advisor Catherine Grant outlined how Ireland’s national innovation agency funds, connects, and accelerates early-stage companies with global ambition. In 2024 alone, Enterprise Ireland invested €27.6 million across 157 startups.
“Our goal is impact. Job creation, innovation and sustainable growth, not just ROI,” said Grant. She explained that startups benefit from access to 50 international offices, strategic guidance, and multinational testbeds. UrbanFox and Tao Climate, both present at the event, count Enterprise Ireland among their early backers.
Grant emphasised that startups founded in highly regulated environments often scale faster in aviation, as they already design products with compliance, safety, and integration in mind.
Structured Pilots Lead to Scalable Partnerships
Innovation must move beyond the proof-of-concept stage to achieve enterprise impact. Rahel de Vriend, Head of Innovation Research & Scouting, TNW Programs, who works closely with Schiphol Airport, outlined a structured approach that encourages scale from day one.
“Define what you want to prove. Too often, startups solve hyper-specific issues that limit broader value,” said de Vriend. She encouraged aviation stakeholders to adopt 100-day pilot structures with measurable success metrics and clearly defined outcomes.
De Vriend also advised leaders to publish open problem statements. Greater transparency, she argued, attracts more aligned solutions and shortens the time between first engagement and deployment.
Airlines Call for Cultural Fit and Operational Readiness
The event closed with a panel discussion featuring enterprise and startup voices. United Airlines Head of Innovation Lab Jorie Sax, Springshot Chief Commercial Officer Rob Blair, TNW Programs Head of Innovation Research and Scouting Rahel de Vriend, and Causal Labs Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Dar Mehta addressed what determines whether a startup becomes a long-term partner.
Sax underscored that technical excellence must come with integration capability. “We’re pitched daily. The key is not just the tech, but whether you can scale within the systems, personalities and timelines of the largest airline in the world,” said Sax.
Blair stressed the need for empathy and user-centred design. “Success comes from bringing the right people into the room and solving real user pain, not just deploying tech,” he said.
Vriend explained that aiming for a much larger problem leads to more ambitious and meaningful solutions. “The problem needs to be big enough so the solutions will be big enough,” she said.
Mehta emphasised that regulation should guide product design, not restrict it. Startups that build within frameworks like the EU AI Act, he said, earn faster trust and greater long-term viability.
FTE Innovation Hub Offers a Platform for Real-World Collaboration
By the end of the day, participants walked away with more than ideas. They left with actionable partnerships, proven tools, and a clearer pathway to transforming aviation systems with purpose and precision. Every session reinforced a shared commitment to building scalable, safe, and meaningful innovation across the air transport ecosystem.
Leading airlines seeking to streamline operations and elevate passenger experiences, airports looking to digitise infrastructure and unlock new service models, aviation suppliers aiming to stay ahead through co-creation, and startups building scalable, aviation-ready solutions are all invited to become part of this growing global community. Companies interested in joining the FTE Innovation and Startup Hub can learn more and apply at: www.futuretravelexperience.com/innovationhub
“This community is about real connections not just conversations,” said Ghee. “Together we are proving that aviation innovation does not have to wait for the future. We can build it now.”
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