Fusion & Acquisition

💻 Kleio, a startup founded in 2024, secures a €3 million seed funding round led by Serena and Daphni, supported by Houman Behzadi, Julien Bellanger, Raphael Simon, and Dave Kellogg. The funding aims to boost the adoption of AI and conversational interfaces in complex industries like Finance, Real Estate, and Travel. Kleio's technology, involving 30 generative AI agents, helped Havas Voyages increase online prospects by 200% and generate thousands of qualified leads in three months.

🌍 Arabian Adventures, a DMC leader in the United Arab Emirates, is expanding to Oman to meet the increasing demand from international partners for travel in 2025. With over 20 years of local expertise, the dnata Travel Group subsidiary offers bespoke high-end travel experiences, including VIP airport welcomes, private transfers, accommodation booking, and exclusive excursions with 24/7 assistance. Three new exclusive experiences have been crafted to cater to the evolving expectations of travelers.

💰 Eurazeo entered exclusive negotiations for a majority stake acquisition in Mapal from PSG Equity, with Mapal’s management team also investing. PSG Equity will retain a minority stake. The deal's completion is pending customary formalities and regulatory approvals. Mapal, headquartered in Madrid, serves over 2,000 clients in 40+ countries with AI-powered SaaS for restaurant and hospitality back-office processes. Financial details will be disclosed post-transaction. PSG Equity first invested in Mapal in September 2019, prompting growth acceleration.

📊 In the airline industry, only 25 out of 340 IATA-member airlines (7%) have invested in startups. A vast majority, 315 airlines (93%), have not engaged in startup investment to support innovation. Notably, KLM, through SHIFT Invest III in 2024, completed 9 deals with startups, while ANA executed 6 investments via its Future Frontier Fund established that same year. Climate technology leads as the top investment focus for airlines in 2024, followed by artificial intelligence.

💸 Flywire acquires Sertifi for $330 million, adding a new vertical in the travel sector focused on accommodation. This deal gives Flywire access to Sertifi's 20,000-property portfolio, including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and luxury independents. Sertifi integrates with Oracle OPERA, Amadeus Delphi, and Salesforce, enhancing booking processes for hotel groups and events. Flywire anticipates an additional revenue of $35-40 million from Sertifi in 2025, though net margins are expected to be lower due to planned investments.

✈ Only 25 out of 340 IATA member airlines have invested in startups throughout their existence, which is 7%. In 2024, 55% of airline investments targeted startups focusing on aviation sustainability, a 5% increase from the previous year. Investments in AI startups by airlines rose by 4% in 2024, capturing 22% of the total. Notably, United Airlines with Koloma, Alaska Airlines with Twelve, and Japan Airlines with Heirloom were involved in 9 of the top 10 deals. Companies like KLM through SHIFT Invest III, ANA with Future Frontier Fund, and Jetblue through JetBlue Ventures are among the top investors, with Japan Airlines making a notable entrance with 6 deals in 2024.

🏛 Hyatt Centric, known for culturally immersive hotels, celebrates growth with new openings in Cairo, Shanghai, San José, and Santo Domingo by 2024. The brand aims to launch over 35 new hotels globally by the end of 2028, a 50% portfolio increase, targeting over 100 locations worldwide by 2029. Asia-Pacific will see a 75% brand footprint increase, with expansions also across the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. Hyatt's Emily Wright highlights the brand's fit within their Classics portfolio.

????🏨 RoomPriceGenie, a Swiss RMS leader for independent hotels and groups, secured a $75 million investment from Five Elms Capital. The funding will boost international expansion and platform enhancements. Chas Scarantino was appointed as the new CEO in preparation for growth. RoomPriceGenie, founded in 2017, aims to make automated pricing more accessible. Ari Andricopoulos, co-founder and current CEO, will transition to CSO, focusing on product innovation and strategic partnerships. Only 10% of hoteliers use a dedicated RMS, indicating significant market potential.

📈 Jean-Jacques Morin of Accor has been assigned to sell Accor's 31% stake in AccorInvest within 18 months. Sébastien Bazin confirmed the decision during the financial results presentation, aiming to divest from the real estate company initially created to manage assets from Accor's former model. AccorInvest, now revived post-COVID crisis under Gilles Clavié's management, boasts a significant portfolio with approximately 700 hotels. The sale process, though complex, is expected to attract considerable interest and is anticipated to start immediately, with a completion timeline of 12-18 months.