Featuring Prizes from Companies We Love for Trip in a Tweet

By Sue Heilbronner | Tuesday June 19, 2012

One thing we love about having our TravelShark U.S. headquarters in Boulder, Colorado, is being smack in the middle of one of the most exciting startup communities in the world. Speaking of the world, the startup community in our company HQ city, Singapore, is pretty exciting as well.

This week we had a brainstorm. Well, what we had was an idea, but around here, we’re easily excitable. We have all these fantastic startups in and around Boulder, and we also have a really nifty way of promoting their businesses while also serving our own interests and the interests of our customers.

We launched a cross-platform travel stories contest called Trip in a Tweet this month. You can read all about it here, but essentially, it asks people to share their stories around a specific theme (joyful travel moments, getting lost, etc). And, for this contest, we’ve attempted to connect each prize with the weekly theme of the contest.

We’ve gone primarily with sexy prize brands so far – Apple, Canon, and Maui Jim’s. Digressing, my personal favorite was the sweet pair of Maui Jim’s shades awarded for the “most embarrassing travel story” theme (best to be incognito for one’s next big faux pas).

Then we realized that restricting ourselves to big-brand prizes was creating a missed opportunity. Why not promote our neighbor startups’ creative, burgeoning products, and services as prizes? Because it makes sense and we’re quick and nimble, we’re going to do it. Today.

So this week’s Trip in a Tweet theme is your “Best Lost in Translation Moment.” The prize? A perfectly matched 20-day subscription (installable anytime you travel next) to PalmLing.

PalmLing offers real-time translation enabled by actual humans. Out in Sevilla and meet a senora and want to make plans for some ceviche? Use PalmLing! Off on a business trip to Delhi and find yourself in the more complex nuances of a deal discussion? PalmLing again!

PalmLing is one of 12 lucky (and insanely qualified) startups to be selected for Techstars this summer, and we’re psyched to offer their awesome, accessible service in our Trip in a Tweet contest this week.

Next week, our prize is an iOS-enabled plush toy, Ubooly. Smart, sweet, funny, and interactive. A great prize under any circumstances and a wonderful companion for some lucky Trip in a Tweet winner to have on her summer family vacation.

Wanna play? Submit your Trip in a Tweet now. Other ideas for great prizes from your favorite startup? Contact us today! If the startup has a cool idea, we’ll think of a cool theme.

Sue Heilbronner is an avid hiker, a decent golfer, an average cyclist, and a superb lover of Lucy the Llewelyn Setter. When not blogging, she is the CEO of TravelShark.

Posted under: Team TravelShark • Tech and Startups