The Allplane Podcast #143: leading innovation at IAG, with Nacho Tovar

Oct 1

Written By Miquel

International Airlines Group (IAG) is one of the world’s largest airline groups, with British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, Aer Lingus and LEVEL in its ranks. And like other leading industry players in such a technology-driven industry, IAG wants to have first row in the innovation arena.

This is the reason it created IAGi, where “i” stands for “Innovation”, a division which has the mission to keep the airline group ahead of the game when it comes to technology. It does so by deploying two different approaches: running an accelerator for startups aiming to make a splash in the travel and aviation industries, and investing directly through a €200 million ($265M) venture capital arm.

Our guest in today’s episode is, precisely, the man running these programmes. Nacho Tovar, Group Innovation Director at IAG, is an aerospace engineer turned venture capitalist.

Nacho will tell us all about how the different tracks available to startups and which criteria IAGi uses to invest in certain startups. We will also chat with Nacho about the shifting tech priorities in the airline world and about the different successes that IAGi has been collecting among the more than 120 startups that have passed through its acceleration or investment programmes in the last decade.

If you are into aviation and innovation, you can’t miss this episode, since it will provide you some truly direct insights about how a major airline group views innovation and about the options that aspiring entrepreneurs can leverage to work directly with the five carriers of IAG and perhaps even get financial backing from the group.

So, tune in for a fascinating conversation about airlines, innovation and investment with Nacho Tovar, head of IAGi!

Things we talk about in this episode

Nacho’s background: from aerospace engineer to VC
What is IAGi and how it fits into the International Airlines Group structure
How IAGi manages the innovation needs of its five airlines (British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, Vueling and LEVEL)
How does the IAGi startup accelerator works
IAGi as the venture capital arm of IAG
Examples of successful startups that have passed through IAGi’s programme
What topics currently have the most interest for aviation investors