Skyscanner, has secured a combined GBP128 million from five new investors. The deal includes both primary and secondary proceeds and sees the incoming investors acquire an undisclosed share of the travel search engine.
The primary investment in Skyscanner will support the company’s strategy and accelerate its rapid growth in the GBP332 billion (USD500 billion) online travel market.
In addition, it expands Skyscanner’s access to additional sources of expertise and different virtual and geographic marketplaces around the world. Artemis, Baillie Gifford, Khazanah, Vitruvian Partners and Yahoo! JAPAN now join SEP and Sequoia as the company’s investment partners.
Artemis is a global fund manager that manages more than GBP22 billion (USD33 billion) across a range of funds.
Baillie Gifford is an independent investment manager based in Edinburgh, investing globally on behalf of its clients.
Khazanah Nasional Berhad is the strategic investment fund of the Government of Malaysia and enjoys excellent access to markets across the Asia Pacific region.
Vitruvian Partners is a European investor with a track record of backing fast-growing businesses with deep expertise in online marketplaces.
Yahoo! JAPAN is already a venture partner in Skyscanner Japan. Its investment further strengthens this relationship.
Gareth Williams, Skyscanner CEO, says: “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. This financing round and our recent new hires allow us to build fantastic further tools for travellers. I’d like to thank SEP and Sequoia for their belief in us and also welcome our new investors to the team. We have so much more to do together – it’s an exciting time.”
