Washington, DC -- (SBWire) -- 05/12/2014 --Hotelier booking site, The Poshpacker, has been selected for this years technology inspired Lisbon Challenge ahead of almost 500 startup contenders worldwide. The website, which specializes in affordable yet authentic hotels and showcases everything from boutique accommodation to eco cabanas, is one of the only U.S. startups to be chosen to participate in the program which promotes innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Poshpacker focuses on promoting boutique travel on a budget and has received critical acclaim as one of the top travel sites, with Tech Cocktail describing the company as ''One of Washington D.C's hottest startups.'' Their ethos stems from the idea that there is a whole community of shoe-string travelers who want a stay that is both inspirational and authentic, and one that offers great experiences creating rich and varied stories to tell on their return. The company is run by two intrepid female tech entrepreneurs, Anna Kojzar and Tania Cruz, and was born out of their own personal experiences of traveling around Europe.

The website offers an easy and instantaneous booking service for the millennial traveler who would otherwise have the laborious task of searching countless landing pages and booking sites. With their tech-savvy and skeptical target audience in mind, The Poshpacker aim to allay any worries by offering their users a visual insight into where they will be staying and uploading 'real-time' photographs taken at the accommodation only hours, sometimes minutes, earlier.

A Beta-i tech accelerator initiative, the Lisbon challenge takes place in Portugal's capital due to the city's reputation as one of Europe's up-and-coming tech-hubs. It also happens to be the birthplace of luxury hostels. The budget-friendly design accommodation movement began in Lisbon, and The Poshpacker will spend time learning from some of the world's top leaders and visionaries in hospitality.

The Poshpacker will spend 3 months of acceleration in Lisbon networking with Beta-i's top mentors with the aim of improving the website's user interface and creating a more speedy and simple experience for the customer. The company representatives will be conducting interviews, creating content and video, and ultimately expanding the Poshpacker network by liaising with the world's best in the tech and hospitality field.

The Poshpacker's Lisbon relocation is a fantastic yet costly opportunity. The startup needs to raise 3000 Euros to help cover living and travel expenses and hire programming assistance in finishing their new website and search platform. The money raised will also go towards directly marketing and connecting with Lisbon's leading hoteliers to create those all-important lasting relationships, and help build up Search engine optimization for the site to ensure that more people can access what Poshpacker have to offer. Surplus cash will be used to further enhance The Poshpacker website.

The website's founders are initiating an' indiegogo' campaign to promote crowdfunding and help raise the necessary funds for their Lisbon journey. The expert purveyors of both travel and design are offering compensation to their loyal supporters in the form of unique, high quality, and purse-friendly perks; from Lisboa inspired pins, hats, and tote bags, to T-shirts, lamps, and designer chairs. There are also items from Portugal available to purchase that showcase the country's culture and innovative design - postcards, journals, and cork-made home interiors are all up for grabs.

The booking site encourages followers to share the indiegogo campaign with friends, book their next hotel stay through the website, and nominate a 'Poshpacker Pick' on their website - theposhpacker.com - as alternative ways to help their cause. These will all help expand The Poshpacker network and enable them to continue in their mission to find affordable and cool worldwide accommodation.

Contact:
Anna Kojzar
Tel. (+1) 202.904.3874
anna@theposhpacker.com