Articles tagged “venture capital”

The digital revolution has finally come for tours and activities. Our latest research report dives into challenges for this fragmented sector as it shifts increasingly online and to mobile, but highlights the potential market opportunity for a very diverse, experiential space.

Emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence and blockchain, have yet to make the leap from buzzword to mainstay, but have the potential to disrupt travel incumbents. The big players will have ample opportunity to adapt, though, and leading startups can play a role in helping executives grapple with when and how to implement these technologies.

Venture capitalists invested a record amount in travel startups in 2017. The industry is no stranger to disruption, but we may be seeing some of the greatest changes of the last two decades. Our latest research report is a deep dive into these emerging trends with insights for founders, incumbents, and investors.

Vacasa spent years building a business before venture capital came along for the ride at this level. Its fate now depends on how well it executes the sometimes-cumbersome task of on-boarding new properties at scale, and whether it can avoid hubris.

Blockchain and China are both areas that investors find interesting, but blockchain requires a long-term view and China is really tough, especially domestically. Meanwhile, investors are pouring money into artificial intelligence and virtual reality, and are trying to sort out which travel startups working in these fields will make it to the finish line.

It's nice when folks smarter than us land on the same dime. General Catalyst and Accomplice, the famed venture capital firms, join us in seeing promise in Freebird, which gives corporate travel agencies superpowers when it comes to rebooking travelers.

Despite the recent attempts at corporate venture capital by JetBlue, Booking.com, and other big players, many travel companies prefer to invest in startups via traditional venture funds instead.

Diving into the data of European VC reveals that while new tech-hubs are emerging, the landscape is still vastly dominated by the traditional trio of well-established tech-hubs. Namely London, Paris, and Berlin.

Venture capital's returns are usually achieved in the long-term, a great match for pension funds. However, European pension funds are still reluctant to allocate money to VC, considering it a risky venture.

Europe is finally warming up to the American-style, risk big and risk early venture investment culture that has given birth to so many tech megabrands out of Silicon Valley.