HFTP is accepting submissions for startups until May 4 and judges and mentors until May 18

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), producers of Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®), is currently accepting applications for participants, judges and mentors for Entrepreneur 20X (E20X) at HITEC Houston. Those interested can apply via the HITEC websitestartups can apply here, and volunteers can apply here. E20X Houston will take place on Monday, June 18 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Gorge R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas.

E20X participants will be selected from the field of applicants and pitch their business concepts to a panel of expert judges and HITEC attendees and exhibitors. Participants will have access to a team of mentors before the competition, who will inspire and educate the startups by lending them insights, expertise and guidance. The E20X judge's panel will determine the grand prize, "E20X Judge's Choice Award," winner while the audience will determine the crowd favorite, "E20X People's Choice Award," winner. Selected startups will also receive a kiosk in the HITEC Houston exhibit hall.

E20X mentor opportunities are available to industry professionals who would like to volunteer and share their knowledge with participants the day of the competition. Day-of mentors will meet face-to-face with participants in a series of pre-booked meetups hours before the E20X competition takes place sharing their experience, answering questions and making invaluable connections.

"Being an entrepreneur, running your own business, can be challenging in the sense that you are solely making decisions without the guidance of feedback," said HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe. "HFTP's Entrepreneur 20X event gives startups the opportunity to showcase their products, services and ideas in front of a global network of industry peers including investors, c-level experts and a judges panel that is guaranteed to serve as a steppingstone on your path to success."

HFTP remaining events for 2018 include HITEC Houston – HFTP's largest event of the year – from June 18-21 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas USA. HFTP Annual Convention will October 24-26 at the Omni Louisville Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky USA. HITEC Dubai will take place December 5-6 at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai, UAE. For more information about HFTP's international events, visit www.hftp.org and www.hitec.org or contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at [email protected].