PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania—Sadie AI won the top prize in the AAHOA (Asian American Hotel Owners Association) 2026 Tech Pitch Competition, Co-Powered by HFTP (Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals), held at AAHOACON26.
Sadie is a 24/7 Voice AI front desk agent designed specifically for hotels. It answers every call instantly, provides property details, shares availability and rates, and books and manages reservations, helping hotels capture revenue that would otherwise be lost while reducing operational strain.
Finalists
A panel of four judges with expertise in technology and hospitality chose the company from a field of eight finalists:
- Lilo
- Ocra
- Roomiy Finance
- Sadie AI
- StayNow
- TakeUp AI
- VSR Network Technologies, LLC
- WithCoverage
“Hospitality is evolving quickly, and the Tech Pitch Competition showcases the ideas that are helping owners adapt and thrive,” AAHOA Chairman Rahul Patel said. “These finalists demonstrated how thoughtful technology can solve real operational challenges, improve efficiency, and create better experiences for both guests and teams. We congratulate Sadie AI on a well-earned achievement.”
Roomiy Finance placed second, while Ocra placed third.
Judges
This year’s panel of judges was composed of:
- Moderator Nishant (Neal) Patel, AAHOA past chairman (2022-23)
- Rohit Mathur, chief executive officer & co-founder, Bridge
- Deepak Jain, co-founder and chief operating officer, Unify AMS
- William Sullivan, professor, University of Delaware
- Frank Wolfe, president & chief executive officer, HFTP
“We’re honored to be recognized at the AAHOACON 2026 Tech Pitch Competition,” said Sami Hilal, chief executive officer of Sadie. “What we heard consistently from hotel owners is that missed calls remain a major source of lost revenue. Teams are stretched, and it’s not always possible to answer every call. Sadie was built to solve that instantly, ensuring every guest inquiry is handled, and more of those conversations turn into bookings.
“This competition puts a spotlight on what I call owner-ready innovation, with solutions that do not just impress, but perform,” AAHOA President and Chief Executive Officer Laura Lee Blake said. “The companies we saw this year brought forward solutions that are practical, scalable, and clearly aligned with the needs of today’s hoteliers. AAHOA is proud to serve as the bridge between bold ideas and bottom-line results.”
As the winning company, Sadie AI earns a complimentary exhibit booth at AAHOACON27 in Anaheim, CA.
