Lufthansa Innovation Hub (LIH) has signaled its desire to work with more startups as it opens up a venture clienting platform “Startup Gate.”

The platform aims to connect Lufthansa Group with startups, something Xavier Lagardère, Lufthansa Group vice president of innovation and chief data officer as well as managing director of LIH, has said the hub will be “doubling down” on. A partnership between Lufthansa ground operations and robotics startup Ottomy is already in play.

In a separate move, LIH has spun off Cosmos, its startup that uses machine learning and data analytics to resolve operational issues faster. The platform, which monitors performance and aims to encourage more collaboration between partners, joins Squake and Navit (formerly Rydes) in startups that have sprung up within the hub and been spun out. 

During a recent interview, Lagardère described Cosmos as “probably the best example of how we like ventures to come about,” adding that it was born as a project to solve a problem and has developed into a venture.

LIH, which has been in operation for 10 years, has also unveiled Pendle, an initiative to reduce onboard food waste by using algorithms to analyze various data points including flight duration and consumption patterns.

“Our commitment remains steadfast — to push the boundaries of what’s possible, to forge strong partnerships with visionary startups and to deliver meaningful innovations that enhance the Lufthansa Group and the industry as a whole,” Lagardère said. “As we move forward, we will continue to embrace change and harness the power of technology to create a more connected, efficient and sustainable travel experience for all.”