HotelRunner Founders Arden Agopyan and Ali Beklen Shortlisted for Global Entrepreneur of the Year at The Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards

HotelRunner Founders and Managing Partners Arden Agopyan and Ali Beklen have been shortlisted for Global Entrepreneur of the Year at The Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards, recognising their role in building HotelRunner into a global travel technology company and their continued impact on the future of the industry.

The Global Entrepreneur of the Year category celebrates founders who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, resilience, and international growth. Agopyan and Beklen were selected following a rigorous evaluation process from a highly competitive field of global applicants.

Known as the “Grammys of entrepreneurship,” The Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards recognise outstanding entrepreneurs across the UK for their innovation, impact, and resilience. This year, more than 5,000 applications were received, with 740 businesses making the shortlist. Winners will be announced on Monday, November 16, 2026.

Computer engineers by background, Agopyan and Beklen founded HotelRunner in 2012 after identifying a critical gap in the global travel industry: millions of accommodation providers and travel businesses remained disconnected from the technology, distribution channels, and financial infrastructure needed to be visible and compete globally.

What began as an ambitious startup has evolved into a globally recognised travel technology platform serving tens of thousands of travel businesses worldwide. Today, HotelRunner operates at the intersection of travel, fintech, artificial intelligence, and connectivity, helping accommodation providers, travel agencies, online marketplaces, payment providers, and global platforms connect, transact, and grow.

Arden Agopyan, Founder and Managing Partner of HotelRunner, said:

“Being shortlisted for Global Entrepreneur of the Year is a meaningful recognition of the journey behind HotelRunner. We started as young engineers with a belief that technology could remove barriers and create opportunity across the travel industry. Fourteen years later, that belief has become a global platform, a global team, and a global mission, pioneering innovation across the industry.”

Ali Beklen, Founder and Managing Partner of HotelRunner, added:

“Entrepreneurship is about seeing beyond today’s limitations and building what an industry will need next. From day one, we believed travel needed deeper technology, stronger connectivity, and a more intelligent infrastructure layer. HotelRunner was built to lead that shift. This recognition is an honour and a reflection of the team, partners, and customers who have been part of our journey.”

Frankie James, founder of the Great British Entrepreneur Awards, said:

“When we launched the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in 2012, we set out to back the businesses that get on and build, the ones that don't always get the recognition they deserve. More than a decade on, over 5,000 applications tell me we were onto something. This year's cohort represents billions in turnover and tens of thousands of jobs, but what I'm proudest of is the determination behind those numbers. These are founders who have stuck with it through every kind of year, and championing them is exactly why we do this.”

The recognition underscores Agopyan and Beklen’s entrepreneurial journey from a technology-led startup to a global travel technology company, and their continued ambition to shape the next era of travel through innovation, automation, connectivity, and transformative technologies.

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