Alexander Dillon, who will return to Loughborough in September to complete the final year of his BSc Finance degree, co-founded ChatBlu while studying at Loughborough Business School. Since launching, the company has evolved significantly, recently pivoting from e-commerce inventory management to a focus on applying the technology to luxury hospitality.
An AI-enabled software solution, ChatBlu has developed an ecosystem of AI agents designed to support different hotel departments, helping luxury hospitality businesses automate and optimise operational processes while maintaining high levels of personalised service for guests.
Drawing on hospitality expertise within the founding team, including experience working with leading international hotel brands, the company identified an opportunity in an industry where many operational systems have seen little innovation in recent decades.
Speaking about the company's growth, Alex said: "We made a decision to pivot to luxury hospitality because we found the e-commerce sector was really saturated with AI offerings, and it was composed of too many small and medium-sized enterprises who weren’t looking for a solution at scale.
“After just two months focused on luxury hospitality, we've already secured $650,000 in signed letters of intent and conditional orders from hotels we're working with."
ChatBlu is currently working with several international hotel groups and luxury hospitality providers across the United States and Europe. The company is also in discussions with additional hospitality organisations interested in deploying its technology.
The progress made since changing their focus has helped secure wider recognition for the business, including Alex and the team being named in the Forbes Spain 30 Under 30 list.
Reflecting on this milestone, Alex said: "It’s really unbelievable to get this kind of recognition so early in our development. It’s been an amazing experience building ChatBlu, and to see our progress validated with both recognition and tangible partnerships is really rewarding.”
The company is now preparing to raise a seed funding round later this year to raise $4 million and plans to establish a stronger presence in London as the business continues to expand.
Despite the demands of running a growing international start-up, Alex has chosen to continue his studies and return to Loughborough for his final year. He believes the experience of building a business alongside his studies has strengthened his approach to both work and academia.
""I started the company in my first year and have been working on ChatBlu throughout my degree. I think striking that balance between entrepreneurship and studying has been incredibly valuable. You become experienced in time management and prioritising certain things. Throughout second year it was really high volume in terms of calls, meetings and work, so I've become used to juggling academics and business responsibilities."
“I’m excited to return for my final year and finish my degree at Loughborough. I feel studying finance has really strengthened my skillset and given me insights into the world of business that I apply day-to-day running a start-up.”