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I wanted to share 3 important news from this week:
- Flying unicorns. Spanish unicorn TravelPerk secured €95 million in funding led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, with existing investors Kinnevik and Felix Capital. This will enhance the platform with new inventory capabilities and AI-driven automation. In 2023, TravelPerk saw over 70% revenue growth and approached $2 billion in annual booking volumes. Fun fact: TravelPerk was one of the first supporters of our FutureTravel project, so we’re excited to see their success. Looking forward to see what the future holds for them.
- Automated hotel chats. Earlier this month, Runnr.ai, a startup that focuses on conversational guest engagement, successfully raised €1 million in funding. You may remember them as one of the finalists at our FutureTravel Pitch Competition last November. Their innovative solution automates hotel guest communication by utilizing generative AI and providing automated responses through WhatsApp. This let them reduce the workload on hotel staff while simultaneously driving revenue through upselling opportunities. As a result, more than 100 hotels are currently benefiting from increased customer satisfaction and significant cost savings. With the recently secured funding, Runnr.ai plans to expand its operations throughout Europe, aiming to address staff shortages and further enhance overall guest satisfaction.
- Private drive around. Global travel platform Daytrip has secured €9.2 million in funding. With this investment, they will enhance its platform, expand its services to additional countries, and establish strategic partnerships. Founded in 2015, Daytrip offers private car transfers with English-speaking drivers. They also provide the option for travelers to make sightseeing stops during their journey, adding to the enjoyment of their travel experience. With a network of over 7,000 drivers, Daytrip has already facilitated more than 850,000 trips.