Dohop has raised an undisclosed growth equity round from Scottish Equity Partners (SEP). With this investment, Dohop will be able to accelerate its plans to transform how airlines and other travel providers enable passengers to build complex itineraries as the global travel industry transforms in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dohop’s unique virtual interlining technology allows its airline partners to seamlessly connect with each other, and with other travel providers, without relying on legacy booking systems and complex and inflexible interline agreements. A passenger can find and book an itinerary composed of flight segments from multiple airlines that is often more convenient and cheaper than the limited choice of flights traditionally available from individual airlines, airline alliances, and OTAs. Unlike conventional interline solutions, Dohop can easily combine flights from low-cost carriers, full-service carriers, and hybrid airlines into a single itinerary. In combination with its award-winning flight search technology and extensive intelligence on passenger connections through the world’s airports, Dohop expands passengers’ range of choices on how, when, and at what price they wish to travel.
Dohop benefits from 15 years of experience operating a flight search engine, which has won the World Travel Award’s top prize as The World’s Leading Flight Comparison Website for the last four years running, as well as the self-connect technology that powers its airline solutions and the Dohop consumer flight search portal. The Dohop platform supports IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard, which enables improved distribution of airline tickets and ancillaries.
To ensure convenience and peace of mind for passengers using its Dohop Connect virtual interlining solutions, Dohop also offers a protected connection, assisting passengers with re-booking, accommodation, and other travel services in the event of a missed connection, schedule change or cancelled flight. The combination of revolutionary virtual interlining technology and first-rate passenger services has enabled Dohop to establish itself as the technology partner of choice for 35 airlines and airports across five continents including Avianca, easyJet, Eurowings, Gatwick Airport, Jetstar, Transavia, and Volotea.
SEP’s investment will enable Dohop to ramp up its team in Reykjavik and internationally to expand its global sales and support capabilities at a time when airlines need new solutions to increase flight options as their networks and operations begin to recover from the worst disruption in the history of commercial aviation. By linking up airline partners (including full service carriers and their low-cost carrier subsidiaries), Dohop enables airlines to offer their passengers the maximum choice of routes, while maintaining the airline’s direct relationship with the passenger throughout their journey. And Dohop is taking its solutions beyond air travel by enabling airlines to cross-sell train tickets alongside flights, resulting in increased choice, convenience, cost savings, and environmental benefits for travellers.
David Gunnarsson, CEO of Dohop, commented:
“Joining forces with SEP will enable us to become the technology provider that airlines need now more than ever, on a global scale and with the resources to connect every airline to their partners of choice. In just over three years, we have built the world’s largest next-generation interline platform. With SEP’s support, we plan to connect the world’s leading airlines, airports, and other travel providers into a platform that allows them to increase passenger choice and confidence about travel. SEP’s experience of growing global technology leaders, and their unique insight into travel distribution, made them our partner of choice for this funding round. We are delighted that they have chosen to back us on our mission to revolutionise travel connectivity.”
Stuart Paterson, Partner at SEP, who will join the Dohop board as a non-executive Director, added:
“Dohop is led by a strong and ambitious team, well connected across the airline industry. Its software platform has the ability to revolutionise how travel is distributed and is rapidly becoming the de-facto choice for airlines seeking to collaborate and cross-sell. We look forward to bringing our travel and technology knowledge and our experience of scaling Skyscanner from a flight search engine to a global leader in travel, to help Dohop achieve its growth potential.”
Strata Technology Partners (www.strata-partners.com), whose previous airline technology clients have included Amadeus, Mercator, and Vayant acted as exclusive financial adviser to Dohop on the funding round.
