Venrex is a VC firm that backs creative founders to launch and build innovative businesses.

Venrex

Technology is transforming the way we live, work and play. Loric Ventures invests in innovative and disruptive solutions globally, with a focus on fin- and urbantech and impact.

Loric Ventures

Eight Roads Ventures is a global venture capital firm managing $11bn of assets across offices in the UK, China, India, Japan, and the US. Together with our associated funds, including our US sister fund F-Prime Capital, our 50-year history of investing includes partnerships with over 500 companies such as Alibaba, AppsFlyer, Chewy, Fareye, Fever, Flywire, Fireblocks, Funnel.io, Gloat, Hibob, Icertis, Neo4j, Otrium, Owkin, Paidy, Spendesk, Tibber, Toast, Wallapop and Xoom.

Eight Roads Ventures

F-Prime's roots are in one of America’s great entrepreneurial success stories. Fidelity Investments was founded in 1946 and grew from a single mutual fund into one of the largest asset management firms in the world, with over $2 trillion in assets under management. For the last forty years, this venture capital group has had the privilege of backing other great entrepreneurs as they built ground-breaking companies in technology and life sciences, including Atari, MCI, ROLM Corp., Alibaba, Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, and Ultragenyx.  Today, F-Prime's funds are larger and more global, but its teams are still small and local. F-Prime stays true to its entrepreneurial roots. In the US and Europe, F-Prime Capital Partners is investing in healthcare (formerly Fidelity Biosciences) and in technology (formerly part of Devonshire Investors). In other geographies, its sister fund is called Eight Roads (formerly Fidelity Growth Partners), with investment teams in London, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Mumbai.   Together F-Prime brings a world of insight, domain expertise and relationships to support entrepreneurs. Without the pressure of fundraising from outside investors, F-Prime Capital Partners focuses all of its time finding and helping great entrepreneurs build important companies.

F-Prime Capital

Spectrum Equity, a private equity firm, provides capital and strategic support to internet, software, and information services companies. Spectrum seeks to invest in companies with defensible and sustainable business models. The investment firm was founded in 1994 by Brion B. Applegate and William P. Collatos and is based in San Francisco, California, United States.

Spectrum Equity

Highgate Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in investments across all stages of development with a focus on seed, early, mid, late, emerging growth, and follow on investments.  The firm prefers to invest in technology companies with a focus on Internet infrastructure, enterprise software, and next-generation eServices. Within Internet infrastructure sector, it seeks to invest in intelligent content delivery, voice recognition, caching and load balancing, wireless, XML platforms, networking, and ASP infrastructure software. Its enterprise software investments includes eCommerce platforms; business intelligence including data mining, data warehousing, analytics, knowledge management; enterprise middleware (application servers), Internet payment and billing; eProcurement; customer relationship management systems; partner relationship management systems; enterprise marketing systems; personalization and profiling; supply chain management; content and catalog, management; collaboration; XML applications; enterprise application integration; and cross enterprise integration. Within next-generation eServices sector, the firm invests in management and application service providers, eLearning focused companies, open source application providers, and wireless enterprise-enablers.

Highgate Ventures

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts is an investment firm that manages multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate, credit, and, through its strategic partners, hedge funds. The company generates investment returns for its fund investors through a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing people, and driving growth and value creation.

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts

Lighthouse

Lighthouse is a commercial platform for the travel & hospitality industry. The company transforms complexity into confidence by providing actionable market insights, business intelligence, and pricing tools that maximize revenue growth. Lighthouse was previously known as OTA Insight.

Lighthouse (formerly known as OTA Insights) provides business intelligence and analytics tools for hotel operators by aggregating data from various sources such as online travel agencies and metasearch engines. The tools provided by Lighthouseinclude: Market Insight, which provides real-time information on hotel booking intent to discover new revenue opportunities; Rate Insight, which provides real-time pricing information; Revenue Insight, which allows hotels to review their performance; and Parity Insight, which helps hotels to discover and solve parity issues across their portfolio. In May 2022, the company introduced Overview, a dashboard that combines all its solutions to provide a snapshot of overall performance. This includes information on the distribution of channels, price competitiveness, market demand, and average daily rates. Lighthouse&nbsp; uses a subscription business model.

Travel Tech

Lighthouse CEO on What Comes After Raising $370 Million: More M&A, Better AI

Lighthouse (formerly known as OTA Insights) provides business intelligence and analytics tools for hotel operators by aggregating data from various sources such as online travel agencies and metasearch engines. The tools provided by Lighthouseinclude: Market Insight, which provides real-time information on hotel booking intent to discover new revenue opportunities; Rate Insight, which provides real-time pricing information; Revenue Insight, which allows hotels to review their performance; and Parity Insight, which helps hotels to discover and solve parity issues across their portfolio. In May 2022, the company introduced Overview, a dashboard that combines all its solutions to provide a snapshot of overall performance. This includes information on the distribution of channels, price competitiveness, market demand, and average daily rates. Lighthouse&nbsp; uses a subscription business model.In 2022, Lighthouse&nbsp; acquired hotel revenue management tech company, Kriya Revgen (April), to create what it claimed to be the only business intelligence solution that provides customized insights for both individual hotels and multi-property organizations. This was followed by the purchase of vacation rental business intelligence brand, Transparent (May), which Lighthouse&nbsp; believed could contribute to its solutions to offer insights on the convergence of the hotel and short-term rental industry.&nbsp;&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsAs of February 2023, Lighthouse served more than 60,000 clients across more than 185 countries. Its client base includes Holiday Inn, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, Radisson Hotel Group, and RBH Hospitality Management. Moreover, it has established partnerships with revenue optimization solution providers like Pace, RMS Cloud, Rainmaker, and Profitroom.&nbsp;

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.&nbsp;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,&nbsp; 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.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;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 an additional 1,500 units 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).&nbsp;

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 and planned 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

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 The company Lighthouse, previously OTA Insights, has raised USD 370 million in a Series C funding round headed by KKR. Existing investors, including Spectrum Equity, F-Prime Capital, Eight Roads Ventures, and Highgate Technology Ventures, will remain involved. This funding will boost product innovation on Lighthouse's platform, enable strategic acquisitions and promote their efforts for global expansion. The company aims to improve its commercial platform through increased AI capabilities and additional datasets.
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Lighthouse

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