Nguyen Thao Van wins its first-ever Investors' Nest competition at the 24th WTTC Global Summit: Here's more you nee to know

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has announced Nguyen Thao Van from VinUniversity, Vietnam, as the winner of the first-ever Investors’ Nest competition at the 24th WTTC Global Summit.

Held in partnership with the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge (SHC) of Hotelschool The Hague, the event showcased groundbreaking solutions from students around the world aimed at reshaping the future of the hospitality industry.

Students from over 75 universities globally competed in regional semi-finals, culminating in a selection of five finalist teams.

The finalists—representing the University of West London (UK), VinUniversity (Vietnam), Instituto Profesional Duoc UC (Chile), Cornell University (USA), and University of West Indies (Jamaica)—presented their innovative solutions during the WTTC Global Summit, addressing sustainability challenges such as plastic pollution, renewable energy, food waste management, and cultural tourism.

Nguyen Thao Van's winning project, Dynapath, impressed industry leaders and investors with its innovative use of plastic waste to create kinetic tiles that generate electricity from foot traffic using piezoelectric technology.

This solution not only reduces plastic pollution but also provides a renewable energy source, making it ideal for high-traffic areas like hotels and airports.