Elia Wallen
Founder and CEO of Engine (formerly Hotel Engine), a B2B travel booking platform. Dropped out of college to found multiple businesses and bootstrapped Travelers Haven into a leading corporate housing platform before starting Engine.
Best podcasts with Elia Wallen
Ranked by the Snipd community
27 snips
May 6, 2025 • 35min
S12E5: Bootstrapping to Billions in Corporate Travel with Elia Wallen, Founder and CEO of Engine
Elia Wallen, the founder and CEO of Engine, shares his inspiring entrepreneurial journey from dropping out of college to building a $2.1 billion corporate travel platform. He dives into how Engine started as a side project and offers insights on the importance of a frictionless user experience, especially in a crowded market. Elia discusses the delicate balance between bootstrapping and fundraising, the impact of AI on travel booking, and the lessons learned from past ventures. His approach blends innovation with strong conviction and adaptability.
19 snips
May 13, 2022 • 24min
Elia Wallen, CEO and founder of Hotel Engine
Elia Wallen, CEO and founder of Hotel Engine, discusses revolutionizing corporate travel. He shares insights on how his platform simplifies hotel bookings for businesses, especially in the wake of COVID-19. Elia highlights adapting to market trends, like the increased demand for refundable rates, and the challenges of scaling in a competitive landscape. He elaborates on the importance of data in maximizing revenue and emphasizes the value of in-person collaboration in a remote-working world. Elia’s journey is a testament to innovation during adversity.
