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Tech Topics In This Article: Tampa startups, Restaurant and Hospitality Tech
A new Florida-based startup, Squeez, is launching this week with a simple but impactful value proposition: Make unavailable reservations accessible.
The startup aims to help busy individuals secure last-minute access to popular spots around town, solving a common problem for those juggling packed schedules.
It is a problem that is likely familiar to anyone trying to snag a last-minute reservation to a popular restaurant, show, or event in town, founder and CEO Chris Ogboke told Hypepotamus.
“Booking things in advance is just a nightmare for most because their schedules and lifestyles move so much,” he added.
INSIDE THE SQUEEZ PLATFORM
Squeez operates as a marketplace, connecting people to exclusive experiences while helping businesses optimize revenue. Customers submit a monetary offer for unavailable reservations, indicating how much they’re willing to pay. Businesses can then choose to accept or decline the offer.
For Ogboke, this dynamic approach creates a “win-win” scenario. Busy people get into hard-to-get-into places while receiving VIP-like access, allowing customers to “go after their Plan A” for a fun night out, Ogboke added.
The financial benefits for businesses could also turn heads across the hospitality industry. According to Squeez, restaurants using the platform anticipate over a 40% increase in net profit margin—a compelling figure for any hospitality business looking to maximize its earning potential.
Squeez has integrated into several existing reservations and POS (point-of-sale) platforms like Fiserv, Stripe, and Lightspeed, making it easier for venues to incorporate Squeez into their day-to-day operations.
TURNING ‘NO RESERVATION’ INTO ‘NO PROBLEM’
The idea began as a platform to help avid golfers, like Ogboke, snag earlier tee times. But while drafting the provisional patent application, Ogboke recognized a bigger opportunity: the entire hospitality industry could benefit from a last-minute reservation platform.
“Restaurants, hotels, spas, hairdressing appointments, you name it,” Ogboke said, reflecting on the platform’s potential to serve multiple sectors.
Ogboke started working with a tech team back in August of 2023 and started working on building out a “rock star” advisory board who have worked across the hospitality and reservation-tech world.
Squeez is rolling out in two key cities: Las Vegas, a global hub for dining and entertainment, and Ogboke’s home of Tampa, one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country. These cities provide a testbed for the platform, given their mix of high-demand venues and a thriving hospitality scene.
With the launch underway, Ogboke is laser-focused on onboarding clients, driving revenue, and initiating conversations with potential investors after bootstrapping the beginning of its journey.
THE SOUTHEAST’S HOSPITALITY TECH WORLD
Squeez is one of the young startups to watch in the Southeast region’s hospitality and restaurant-related technology. Some others include VinoBarrel (a wine preservation and automated pouring system), OrderNerd (acquired by Atlanta-based Popmenu), Tabbi (Greenville-based “social fintech”), Offline (Charlotte-based local concierge software tool), and GoSayHELLO (face-to-face networking app).
These companies, along with Squeez, are part of a growing trend of startups using technology to reshape the hospitality industry in our post-COVID world by customer experiences, streamlining operations, and increasing potential revenue streams for local businesses.
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Featured Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
