B2B SaaS
Q1 202421.03.2024

Hospitality, Events & Travel

Picture of Shubham Jaipuria

Shubham Jaipuria

at Sifted

Travel has been hit in recent years as inflation erodes savings and businesses tighten their belts. Across Europe, sectors like hospitality, events, and travel enablement secured $271m in funding last year, a considerable drop from the $647m raised in 2022. The pandemic reshaped travel experiences for all and while it has largely rebounded to pre-Covid levels for leisure purposes, corporate journeys are still lagging.

Amid these hurdles, startups are stepping up with innovative ideas to help the industry. Faced with challenges on the B2C front, travel industry players like hotels and restaurants are turning to startups for efficiency-enhancing strategies through B2B platforms. Additionally, with a growing focus on reducing the CO2 footprint of travel and hospitality, startups addressing emissions in this sector are gaining traction.

While some significant funding rounds and new fund launches in 2024 signal optimism, capital allocation for the sector remains below the expectations of startups.

20 most promising early-stage startups

  • Namastay logo

    Sifted score

    7.83
    -

    Namastay

    Optimizing hotel booking and payments.

    • Strong investor(s)
    • Serial founder(s)
    • Hiring

    • Year founded

      2021

    • HQ

      Paris, France

    • Latest round

      Seed
      €2m / Dec 2021

    • Total funding

      €5.4m

    View company profile
  • OurCal logo

    Sifted score

    7.72
    -

    OurCal

    Secure shared calendar for privacy-conscious.

    • Strong investor(s)
    • Serial founder(s)

    • Year founded

      2020

    • HQ

      London, United Kingdom

    • Latest round

      Seed
      €3.2m / Apr 2023

    • Total funding

      €4.1m

    View company profile
  • GuestReady logo

    Sifted score

    7.68
    -

    GuestReady

    Optimizing short-term rental property management

    • Strong investor(s)
    • Serial founder(s)
    • Hiring

    • Year founded

      2016

    • HQ

      London, United Kingdom

    • Latest round

      Seed
      €2.1m / Oct 2023

    • Total funding

      €15.7m

    View company profile
  • metafore logo

    Sifted score

    6.39
    -

    metafore

    Premium event spaces with dedicated support.

    • Strong investor(s)
    • Serial founder(s)
    • Hiring

    • Year founded

      2019

    • HQ

      Paris, France

    • Latest round

      Series A
      €15m / Jun 2022

    • Total funding

      €15m

    View company profile
  • BeCause logo

    Sifted score

    6.09
    -

    BeCause

    Automating sustainability data for tourism.

    • Serial founder(s)
    • Hiring

    • Year founded

      2018

    • HQ

      Copenhagen, Denmark

    • Latest round

      Seed
      €2.3m / Feb 2024

    • Total funding

      €3m

    View company profile

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