The old boys network is still as strong as can be in online travel and elsewhere. It shows up in several ways, although it was far from a decisive factor, in the pending Vacasa SPAC deal. But those decades-old ties sure didn't hurt, either.
The WestCap Group has led a $150 million round in Flyr, a startup that helps travel companies boost their revenue. "Mogul management" appears to be the new "revenue management."
Expect more travel tech companies to mimic Plusgrade and get private equity backing to be able to do the acquisitions they need to grow during the recovery.
Travel startup Hopper has raised $175 million in additional investment, underscoring the potential of its financial services products and offering an interesting case study in new appetites in travel for fintech. It seems very much in the cards that the company will go public by, say, 2022.
Serent Capital was an investing chaperone to Revinate's acquisition of Navis. Its thesis is that the technological stars have finally aligned to produce many of the business intelligence breakthroughs that hotel companies have long sought.
If you're a French travel company right now, you very much want to be on Montefiore's radar, a $2.74 billion fund that's become a kingmaker through the Nov Tourisme fund.
Private equity firm HIG Capital has taken a majority stake in Enseo, a provider of digital in-room entertainment tech for hotels. Enseo plans to grow through acquisition. The deal is a validation of founder and CEO Vanessa Ogle's bold pivot of the tech vendor.