Gareth Williams, CEO of Skyscanner
TRAVEL search engine Skyscanner has welcomed five new partners who will in total invest 128 million pounds (US$192 million) in the company. The sum includes both primary and secondary proceeds and the investors will also acquire an undisclosed share of Skyscanner.
According to a statement by Skyscanner, primary investments will go into accelerating the company’s growth in the online travel market while the partnerships expands the company’s access to other sources of expertise and various marketplaces across the globe.
The investment partners comprise global fund manager Artemis, independent investment manager Baillie Gifford, Malaysia’s government investment fund Khazanah Nasional, European investor Vitruvian Partners, and Yahoo! Japan, who is an existing venture partner in Skyscanner Japan.
The five join SEP and Sequoia, who invested in Skyscanner in October 2013.
“Skyscanner has enjoyed high double-digit growth rates for some years now, and has been profitable since 2009. This success is thanks to our 1,200 direct partner relationships, the trust of the 50 million travellers who use us every month, our technology and the dedication of our teams to deliver the best experience for travellers possible,” said Gareth Williams, CEO, Skyscanner.
“This financing round and our recent new hires allow us to build fantastic further tools for travellers.”
