Komuni, winner of the XX Entrepreneur Awards: “We work to transform rural tourism into a tool for social impact”

Komuni connects tourists with authentic accommodations and activities, while helping local businesses grow and digitize. The platform is committed to authentic tourism with real impact and drives it by decentralizing tourism, avoiding destination saturation and redistributing development opportunities more equitably.  

The Entrepreneur Awards recognize the best entrepreneurial projects in the tourism, hotel and gastronomy sector. The award consists of a 6-month mentoring period for the projects by members of the CETT mentoring team and an economic endowment. Thus, the Komuni team will be accompanied by Montserrat Peñarroya, CEO of Quadrant Alfa, a consulting firm specializing in digital marketing, which provides a range of services related to business development, growth and performance improvement for organizations.  

We talked to Aline Noyola and Pep Albalat, founders of Komuni to know all the details of its impact.  

• Where does Komuni come from and why does it focus on rural tourism in Mexico?  

Komuni was born in Barcelona, Spain, with the doctoral research of its co-founder, Aline Noyola de la Llave, focused on sustainable and community-based tourism as a tool to reduce multidimensional poverty in Mexico. Her experience working directly with tourism and rural communities and ejidos helped her to detect their tourism barriers: lack of visibility and low access to resources, digital markets and knowledge to professionalize their services.   

With this vision, Aline joined Pep Albalat, co-founder of Komuni, in designing a business model that would address the needs of these communities and be sustainable in the long term. Today, from Mexico, we work to transform rural tourism into a tool for social impact, helping rural communities thrive while travelers discover unforgettable experiences.   

• The platform connects travelers with SMEs and tourism entrepreneurs. What is its contribution and how does it impact the sector?  

 Komuni allows rural and local tourism service providers - from SMEs, cooperatives, sole proprietors and entrepreneurs - to digitize and reach a wider market without the need for large investments in technology or marketing. Our platform not only facilitates the booking of authentic experiences, but also provides promotional and training tools for these businesses.   

The impact is significant: we help diversify the tourism offer in Mexico, boost the local economy and give greater visibility to destinations that otherwise would not have access to global tourism. In doing so, we also contribute to meeting 10 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, such as ending poverty, protecting the planet and improving the lives and prospects of people living in rural areas.  

• Komuni promotes responsible tourism, how does it relate to sustainability?  

We integrate sustainability in its three dimensions: environmental, economic and social: we promote low-impact experiences, respecting biodiversity and encouraging responsible practices; we ensure that the benefits of tourism stay in the communities, empowering small and medium-sized enterprises instead of favoring large chains; and we promote tourism that values local culture and traditions, fostering a genuine exchange between travelers and hosts.   

• Innovation is a key point in any project. In your case, how do you incorporate it into your tourism activity?  

At Komuni we innovate by transforming the way rural tourism businesses access the digital market. In addition, we are committed to a decentralized and collaborative model, where communities have greater control over their tourism offer and their income. Instead of relying on large intermediaries, we facilitate the self-management of reservations, payments and experiences, ensuring a greater distribution of the economic benefit within each community. To do so, we rely on artificial intelligence as a driver of efficiency and personalization.  

Komuni not only strengthens the competitiveness of rural and community-based tourism, but also marks a turning point to promote fairer, more sustainable and accessible models for all. 

• Every entrepreneurial journey faces different obstacles... What have been yours?  

One of the biggest challenges has been the digitalization of some rural suppliers, as many of them do not have experience with digital platforms. To overcome this, we have developed an onboarding process adapted to their needs, with close accompaniment and educational materials.   

Another big challenge has been funding: as a startup, accessing investment to scale our impact has required a lot of perseverance. We have also faced some bureaucratic and regulatory barriers.   

• What does the CETT Fundació recognition mean for Komuni?  

Receiving this recognition is a validation to know that we are on the right path. It motivates us as a team to continue innovating and opens up new opportunities for networking and visibility in the tourism ecosystem. It is also an important endorsement that reinforces the confidence of our suppliers, customers and investors.   

• Finally, what advice would you give to students interested in entrepreneurship?  

 We would tell them that entrepreneurship is an exciting, inspiring and deeply rewarding path, but it is by no means easy. We would advise them to be very clear about the problem they want to solve, surround themselves with people who complement their skills, seek mentoring and validate their idea as soon as possible with real users. Don't be afraid to make mistakes; every mistake is a learning experience that prepares you and makes you resilient. And, above all, work on something you are really passionate about, because that will be the energy that will keep you moving when the challenges come.