Nexus Venture Partners is a venture capital firm established by ex-entrepreneurs in enterprise technology and consumer internet. The firm was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, United States.

Nexus Venture Partners

500 Global is a multi-stage venture capital firm with $2.4 billion in assets under management. The firm invests in founders who are building fast-growing technology companies. It focuses on markets where technology, innovation, and capital can generate long-term value and economic growth. 500 Global collaborates with key stakeholders and provides advisory services to governments on fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems to support startups. The firm has invested in over 5,000 founders and more than 2,800 companies across 80+ countries. It has funded over 35 companies valued at more than $1 billion and over 160 companies valued at over $100 million, including those that are private, public, or have exited. The team consists of over 190 members based in more than 25 countries, with experience as entrepreneurs, investors, and operators from leading technology companies.

500 Global

Version One Ventures backs mission-driven founders at the earliest stages. Full thesis here: https://versionone.vc/updated-thesis/

Version One Ventures

Outlander VC invests in and mentors startups. Outlander VC makes seed stage and early stage investments in the technology, health care, software, and food tech sectors. Outlander VC supports market research and analysis.

Outlander Fund I Archimedes

Dreamit is a leading venture fund focused on startups with revenue or pilots that are ready to scale. Dreamit specializes in startups building transformative companies in Securetech. Founders meet with dozens of potential customers and partners on Customer Sprints® and pitch leading venture firms during Investor Sprints®. Since its founding in 2008, Dreamit has partnered and helped grow over 320 startups, including LevelUp (acquired by GrubHub), Trendkite (acquired by Cision), SeatGeek, HouseParty (acquired by Epic Games), Elevate, Adaptly (acquired by Accenture), Wellth, Biomeme, Tissue Analytics (acquired by Net Health), Redox, Eko Devices, NestEgg, Cherre, Cylera, RaySecur, SpecTrust, Tidal Cyber, TestifySec, Nirmata, and Accuknox.

Dreamit Ventures

Ludlow operates differently because we’re a different kind of VC. We believe in VC without ego. We wear our hearts on our sleeves, avoiding the puffery and posturing that has given venture capital a bad name. We fund the dreams of entrepreneurs and startups, becoming close friends with all of the teams we invest in.  Truly great companies are built on trust and friendship (and rainbows and luck). VC is a customer service business. Whether it’s testing product, leveraging our network, or forcing people to download your app, we’re here to help. You make our dream jobs possible and we’re forever thankful for that. Check out some of our other projects - www.carpool.vc and www.computer.show

Ludlow Ventures

AngelList is a U.S. website for startups, angel investors, and job-seekers looking to work at startups. It is the parent company of AngelList Venture, AngelList Talent, and Product Hunt and has more than 20 unicorns in the portfolio. They support millions of job-seekers in their search and helped makers launch over 100,000 products that will define the future of tech.

AngelList

FundersClub focuses on Seed and early stage investments. Investments include Coinbase, Instacart, Flexport, Le Tote, Teespring, Memebox, GitLab. FundersClub is the world's first online venture capital platform. Backed by Y Combinator, First Round Capital, Spark Capital, Intel Capital, Draper, Andreessen Horowitz, Felicis Ventures, and more; FundersClub Inc. was founded in 2012 and is based in the United States.

FundersClub

Haystack is a venture capital firm that backs outlier founders at the earliest stages.

Haystack

The company writes $200K checks and back partners across multiple investments. Carried interest is paid to partners for their personal capital and time.The company uses AngelList Syndicates to make working together and closing investments quick and easy

Maiden Lane Ventures

FJ Labs is a stage-agnostic investment firm that focuses on marketplaces and consumer-facing startups. Their investments are seed and series A. The investment range of the company is $50,000 to $5,000,000. It invests in Alibaba Group, Beepi, BrightRoll, Betterment, Adore Me, and Earnest.

FJ Labs

Venture Highway teams up with the next generation of entrepreneurs by providing guidance and capital to early-stage nascent ideas in technology. We are looking to team up with founders who demonstrate a passion and ability to create world-class businesses. If you’ve got the ability, drive, desire, passion, perseverance, and all that ‘good’ (but really really painful) stuff then you’ve reached the right place.

Venture Highway

Titan Capital invests behind world class entrepreneurs looking to create wide-scale positive impact on India and the World.

Titan Capital

Glade Brook Capital Partners focuses on companies in the technology, media, telecom, and consumer sectors.  Glade Brook specializes in technology growth equity, the Firms' experience investing across private and public markets, and a network of company management teams, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders foster unique deal flow.  It was founded in 2011 by Paul Hudso.

Glade Brook Capital Partners

Espresso Capital has provided over 230 early and growth stage technology companies with founder-friendly capital since 2009. It offers lines of credit and term loans to enable entrepreneurs to grow their businesses without dilution, board seats, or personal guarantees. Its mission is to keep founders in control with fast, fair, and flexible capital.

Espresso Capital

Practical Venture Capital is a VC secondary firm providing liquidity to LPs and GPs.

Practical Venture Capital

Tenacity Ventures is an India-focused multi-stage tech investment firm. We back companies from seed to pre-IPO.

Tenacity Ventures

Headout

In today's world littered with digital screens and a 'busy' lifestyle, there is a need for a solution that augments our human experience by getting us to interact and explore our real world and the people in it. Headout's mission, as a counter to this problem, is to enable all of us to discover and access real-life experiences seamlessly and delightfully; thereby inspiring all of us to head out and see the amazing world we live in up close.

Headout is a travel and experiences booking platform that provides travellers with access to more than 10,000 experiences in more than 80 cities worldwide. The platform offers tickets to a wide range of entertainment activities, such as attractions, cruises, and day trips. Other features include choosing experiences based on themes and a best-seller list for experiences. The company also offers an affiliate program for travel agencies looking to expand their offerings to their clients, with the platform being accessible through a web browser or mobile app.

Travel Tech

Tours and activities platform Headout acquires Dabble to build AI experiences

Headout is a travel and experiences booking platform that provides travellers with access to more than 10,000 experiences in more than 80 cities worldwide. The platform offers tickets to a wide range of entertainment activities, such as attractions, cruises, and day trips. Other features include choosing experiences based on themes and a best-seller list for experiences. The company also offers an affiliate program for travel agencies looking to expand their offerings to their clients, with the platform being accessible through a web browser or mobile app.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29920">May 2024</a>, Headout acquired AI product photography platform Dabble. The company planned to use Dabble's technological prowess to build AI-powered travel experiences for its users, expected to enhance the discovery and in-person delivery of experiences.Key customers and partnershipsAs of September 2024, the company had more than 40,000 experiences and 25 million customers on its platform. Inventory integrations included that with Flix (August 2022), Travelotopos (March 2021), and GlobalTix (February 2020). Other partnerships included that with merchant marketplace, Nuclei, to enable digital banking solutions for customers in Asia and the Middle East through Nuclei’s app (October 2020). Key partnerships with entertainment experience companies include Disneyland Paris, Universal, CityWonders, and The Madison Square Garden Company.

Sonder is a short-term rental startup that acquires and refurbishes apartments in popular urban areas and offers them for rent through various channels, including Airbnb, Expedia, and its own website. The company typically enters into three- to five-year leases (including fixed leases and mixed leases) or revenue-sharing agreements with landlords to occupy entire floors of buildings. Sonder’s contracts include provisions that reduce rates during economic downturns, such as a clause that decreased rents by 8% during the pandemic. Unlike other home-sharing firms that have faced difficulties with local lodging regulations, Sonder either holds hotel licenses or operates in buildings that permit short-term rentals.Its apartments offer hotel amenities, such as professional cleaning services, fresh designs, and a concierge service accessible through an app. With the help of its app and digital door locks, guests can check-in to their rooms without any face-to-face interactions. As a result, Sonder's offering was well-suited for maintaining social distance during the pandemic. Sonder aims to extend its reach by expanding to other regions, including Asia. Sonder is also planning to broaden its offerings to include properties such as resorts, villas, and residences. Moreover, Sonder aims to establish a franchise model and sell its software solutions to outside operators. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/20463">July 2023 </a>, Sonder launched its first hotel collection, ‘Powered by Sonder’, a collection of boutique hotels, each with its own distinctive design aesthetic, utilizing Sonder's technology and operated by the company.As of January 2023, Sonder served more than one million guests in more than 9,000 live units, across more than 40 cities and 10 countries. It expected to grow its portfolio to 56,000 units by 2024.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27990">March 2024 </a>, Sonder lost some properties to competing companies such as Kasa Living, Placemakr, AvantStay, and Blueground. The shift in property management occurred after Sonder attempted to renegotiate lease terms or exit from master leases.Key customers and partnerships<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/32761">In August 2024</a>, Sonder signed a licensing agreement to sell 9,000+ of its units to Marriott International with plans to integrate 1,500 units more into the Marriott system in the future. Previously,In September 2022, Sonder partnered with RateGain Travel technologies to strengthen its presence on the GDS by introducing its own dedicated chain code titled SS. The company also partnered with Hotel Engine, a lodging performance network, to offer its services to its network of over 550,000 business travelers (October 2021).

Sonder

Ukio is a Barcelona-based company that provides short-term rental apartments directed at remote workers and other professionals on the move. Ukio offers rental apartments for stays ranging 1–11 months, with an average stay of four to five months. Guests can book for a set period and have the option to extend their stay through the company's online platform. Ukio signs 7- to 10-year leases for its apartments with individual property owners, real estate developers, and family offices.Ukio’s rentals range from EUR 1,750–5,000 (~USD 1,900–5,400) per month. The monthly payment covers utilities, maintenance, taxes, and all the standard amenities included in a hotel stay. Each apartment includes a concierge and reception area, with some having additional services, such as weekly-cleaning facilities. As of August 2024, Ukio operated in Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Berlin and Paris with Ukio planning to expand to other cities such as London, and Dublin.

Ukio

NUMA (formerly known as Cosi) is a German provider of alternative accommodation that offers short-term rental units in over 3,000 locations in cities like Berlin, Munich, Rome, and Vienna. The company signs long-term leases with property owners and remodels the apartments by furnishing and designing the interiors, before renting them out as a hotel alternative. NUMA uses automation and smart pricing to increase occupancy rates and provides a comprehensive digital service for the entire guest experience by reducing booking and check-in/checkout timing to less than 60 seconds. NUMA differentiates itself from similar companies like Sonder by targeting a broader demographic and offering a “tech franchise” solution called “NUMA Go,” where third-party hoteliers can use NUMA's technology for a share of their revenue. NUMA also offers B2B travel solutions through its dedicated corporate booking team and its offering of corporate travel rates.In June 2021, NUMA expanded its services to Spain, Italy, Austria, and the Czech Republic by acquiring local short-term rental provider, Friendly Rentals. NUMA planned to further expand its operations in existing and new markets, such as France, the UK, Ireland, and the Nordic region. Additionally, NUMA made plans to enter the Portuguese market with the opening of a 77-unit hotel in Lisbon in Q2 2024.

numa

TravelPerk offers business travel options for customers. TravelPerk is headquartered in Barcelona and has additional offices in London, Berlin, Chicago, and Miami. The platform uses proprietary technology to provide booking, management, and reporting for business trips. It allows travellers to compare and book various modes of transportation, such as trains, cars, flights, hotels and apartments from various providers including KAYAK, Skyscanner, Expedia, Booking.com, and Airbnb. The company aims to provide flexibility to travellers while giving companies control over travel expenses.In November 2021, TravelPerk launched “TravelPerk Events” to bring dispersed teams together for face-to-face meetings. To make in-person meetings more sustainable, TravelPerk also provides customers with the option to estimate their carbon footprint and neutralize their emissions, achieving this through the acquisition of Susterra (September 2021). This also includes GreenPerk, a sustainability tool that directly reduces carbon emissions through initiatives run by its partner, Atmosfair. Other notable acquisitions included that of AmTrav (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates?industryIds=101">June 2024</a>), UK-based rival, Click Travel (July 2021) and US-based rival, NexTravel (January 2021).TravelPerk uses a subscription- and commission-based business model that includes a freemium plan, with paid plans starting at USD 99 per month and commission fees starting at 3% per booking.Key customers and partnershipsTravelPerk struck a partnership with Southwest Airlines in January 2021 to broaden its US-based inventory, becoming one of the first non-US travel management companies to enter a partnership with the airline company. Other partners include Lufthansa Group Airlines, Midnight Trains, Divvy, and Skyscanner.TravelPerk doubled its customer acquisition rate in 2020 and catered to more than 6,000 businesses, including brands like Wise, Farfetch, GetYourGuide, and Monzo, as of September 2024

TravelPerk

Omio is a Berlin-based travel platform that allows users to search, compare and book transportation options across Europe, the US, and Canada. Founded in 2013 as GoEuro, the company rebranded to Omio in 2019 to reflect its expanded global presence. Omio's platform aggregates and displays train, bus, flight, ferry and car rental options from over 1,000 transportation providers across 37 countries. Users can compare routes, prices, and travel times across different modes of transport in a single search.The company's technology integrates directly with transportation providers to offer real-time pricing and availability. Omio generates revenue through commissions on bookings as well as service fees. As of 2022, Omio's platform facilitated enough ticket sales to fill 30 trains and 300 buses daily. The company has seen significant growth, with ticket bookings in 2022 reaching 140% above pre-pandemic levels. Omio has also observed a shift toward mobile bookings, with 80% of tickets now purchased via its mobile app.Key customers and partnershipsOmio has partnerships with hundreds of transportation companies across Europe and North America, including major providers like Renfe, Deutsche Bahn, SNCF, Flixbus, and Amtrak. In 2022, Omio partnered with Uber to integrate its inventory into the Uber app in the UK, allowing Uber users to book train and coach tickets. In 2023, Omio collaborated with Ecosia to launch a "tree-planting rail travel search tool" that promotes train travel as a more sustainable transport option. Omio has also integrated its booking capabilities into platforms like Kayak and Huawei devices.&nbsp;In August 2024, Omio announced a partnership with Ryanair to sell the airline's tickets as an approved online travel agent.

Omio

Platforms to search, compare, plan, and/or book flights, hotels, buses, trains and travel packages.

Platforms to search, compare, plan, and book alternative lodging in privately owned properties, including apartments and homes

Platforms to search, compare, plan, and book tours, events, and other travel-related recreational activities

Providers of corporate travel management solutions that help businesses with planning, controlling, tracking, and reporting on business travel activities, as well as distribution solutions and B2B booking engines

Car rental and ride-sharing solutions for long-distance travel

Providers of battery-powered luggage products equipped with technologies such as USB charging, built-in scales, TSA-approved locks, and real-time location tracking via GPS and cellular networks

Providers of technology-enabled solutions to enhance the guest experience, such as contactless and automated check-in services.

Providers of technology-based solutions for accommodation providers, tour/experience operators to optimize revenue and operations.

Some solutions under the B2B travel solutions segment operate under a B2B SaaS model

Some online search/booking and revenue management solutions use AI/ML for product development

<div>
 
 Travel and experiences booking platform, Headout, has acquired Dabble, an AI product photography platform. The details regarding the acquisition were not disclosed. 
 Post-acquisition, Headout aims to utilize Dabble's technology to develop AI-powered travel experiences for its users. This will reportedly boost the discovery and real-time delivery of experiences. 
 Dabble is a virtual product photography platform powered by AI. It aids ecommerce businesses to develop ultra-realistic 3D product images and immersive shopping experiences, eliminating the need for physical photo shoots. Dabble combines AI, computer vision, and new media to build applications for varied sectors like gaming, indoor navigation, and training. 

</div>

Headout

About EDGE

Contact Us

Resources

Area of Focus

Technology Research Made Effortless