H.I.S. Americas wins Plug and Play’s Corporate Innovation Award 2026

By AI, Created 3:56 PM UTC, May 27, 2026, /AGP/ – H.I.S. Americas received Plug and Play’s Corporate Innovation Award 2026 at the Silicon Valley May Summit 2026 in San Francisco, marking its third win in the category. The recognition highlights the travel company’s work in XR tourism, mobility, AI and startup partnerships as it pushes new technology into travel experiences.

Why it matters: - H.I.S. Americas is being recognized for turning open innovation into customer-facing travel products, not just internal experimentation. - The award underscores how travel companies are using startups, AI and XR to build new experiences and mobility concepts. - The win gives H.I.S. Americas added visibility in Plug and Play’s global startup ecosystem.

What happened: - H.I.S. Americas Inc. received Plug and Play’s “Corporate Innovation Award 2026” at the “Silicon Valley May Summit 2026” in San Francisco on May 27, 2026. - The company is the U.S.-based subsidiary of H.I.S. Co., Ltd. - This is the third time H.I.S. Americas has received the award, following wins in 2022 and 2023. - The repeat recognition ties the record for the most awards received in this category.

The details: - Plug and Play operates as a global innovation platform with 60+ locations across five continents. - The Corporate Partner Innovation Award goes to companies that show strong commitment to innovation inside the business and through collaboration with Plug and Play and startups. - H.I.S. Americas was recognized for work tied to XR tourism, next-generation mobility, AI initiatives and startup collaboration. - The company highlighted XploreRide, an XR-powered bus tour in Hawaii that combines physical scenery with digital experiences. - H.I.S. Americas has also been developing next-generation mobility initiatives with REGENT. - The company cited a partnership with Canadian hotel distribution platform HotelTrader. - Ongoing AI proof-of-concept initiatives are part of the company’s innovation work. - Plug and Play said H.I.S. has been a partner of its Travel Vertical for the past six years. - Amir Amidi, Plug and Play managing partner, said H.I.S. continues to show a forward-looking approach through next-generation travel initiatives, international PoCs and emerging customer experience concepts. - Tomohisa Kumamoto, president and CEO of H.I.S. Americas, said the Plug and Play collaboration has connected the company with startups worldwide and created learning opportunities and value. - H.I.S. Americas said it will continue pursuing open innovation to create new value. - The company’s website is More information. - The company also maintains a LinkedIn page at H.I.S. Americas on LinkedIn.

Between the lines: - The award reflects a broader shift in travel toward tech-enabled experiences, where operators are pairing tourism services with XR, AI and mobility startups. - Repeated recognition suggests H.I.S. Americas has built a sustained innovation program rather than a one-off project. - The Plug and Play relationship appears to be a key channel for sourcing startup ideas and testing them through pilots and PoCs.

What’s next: - H.I.S. Americas says it will keep expanding open innovation efforts with startups and technology partners. - The company is positioning new technology as a way to create novel customer experiences and advance next-generation tourism. - Further AI, XR and mobility collaborations are likely to remain central to the company’s strategy.