Are you an enthusiast who loves exploring local markets and savoring authentic flavors while traveling?
Tastemap, an innovative travel platform developed by our students, is poised for its official launch, offering international tourists a dive deep into the heart of Thai culture. It aims to harness the potential of AI tools, Thai micro-vendors, and global tourism on a single platform, fundamentally altering the way travelers experience Thai culture.
“This groundbreaking initiative aims to bridge the gap between foreign tourists and the authentic charm of Thai culture, with a specific focus on micro-vendors, markets, and street food,” says Suwapat Kongchan, a third-year student at the Chulalongkorn School of Integrated Innovation (CSII) pursuing a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Integrated Innovation (BAScii). Suwapat has been spearheading this project alongside his company, The Hominians. In addition to Suwapat Kongchan, the team comprises BAScii students, Kawisara Saikaew, Airada Songpatthanayuth, and Benedict Boisclair along with Neeranuch Pantumas and Tanatat Khuttapan.
One key motivating factor behind Suwapat’s initiation of this venture is the fact that despite tourism being a substantial contributor to Thailand’s GDP, a disproportionate amount of revenue fails to reach the millions of micro-vendors who embody the true essence of Thai culture. Tastemap aims to rectify this imbalance by introducing tourists to local culinary charms while simultaneously providing vendors with sustainable growth tools.
Tastemap boasts a range of core features, including a micro-map for food outlet location, in-depth venue reviews, financial tools tailored for vendors, and AI-powered business recommendations. These features are designed to enhance tourists’ cultural experiences while also providing micro-vendors with the visibility and growth opportunities they deserve.
AI plays a pivotal role in this venture as Tastemap leverages comprehensive tourist data to recommend suitable outlets, facilitates trust-building through information translation, aids vendors in financial management, and utilizes AI algorithms to offer effective business recommendations.
“This is a classic example of how our BAScii students progress from project seed to capstone projects that finally lead to a startup. The core of our school is innovation, and TasteMap is one such stellar innovation by our students,” says Dr. Ronnakorn Vaiyavuth, a faculty member at CSII, who has witnessed the startup from its initiation.
While Tastemap’s main emphasis currently lies in Thailand’s bustling markets, the company envisions broadening its services to include other commercial venues, including shopping centers, food courts, and potentially even franchises.
The platform has already gained traction and secured substantial funding from various sources, including the Technology and Innovation-Based Enterprise Development Fund (TED Fund) under Thailand’s National Innovation Agency (NIA), Business Brotherhood 2023, BAScii, UNDP Youth Co:Lab, and PTG Energy Max Ventures. Additionally, Tastemap received the prestigious Finalist Award Winner ranking at the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation) Innovating for Public Urban Technology Transformation Competition 2024 in Shanghai, China. It also made its mark as a finalist at Hack For Growth, Thailand’s largest startup competition for the thriving tourism sector organized by the Electronic Transactions Development Agency.
The platform was formally launched in January 2024. For more information, please visit its website at https://www.taste-map.com. You can also read about their previous achievements in startup contests in this blog post.
