Reading Time: 3 minutes
Belgium: Otamiser, which claims to be the world’s first online travel agency [OTA] ranking management platform, has raised $3 million USD [€2.8 million / £2.36 million] in its first funding round.
The raise was led by Pitchdrive VC, under the expertise and leadership of Wim Derkinderen, Boris Bogaert and Koen Christiaens. Pitchdrive is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in technology startups in a wide variety of sectors, including hospitality technology.
The new capital will support Otamiser’s plans to expand to 1,000 hotels and 100,000 short-term rentals worldwide, through expansion of its commercial team. More than 76 hoteliers and a roster of property management companies with over 10,000 units between them in nine countries currently use the platform.
Otamiser helps hoteliers and property managers to increase revenue through higher OTA rankings and an innovative approach to revenue management. Since its inception in 2022, the company has demonstrated notable growth, reaching an annual recurring revenue [ARR] of €1.8 million [$1.9 million USD] and expanding to a team of 32 employees worldwide, all without external capital.
Its solution connects revenue management with OTA ranking optimisation, ensuring that properties secure top positions on OTAs while meticulously managing prices to unlock the full potential of every room. As a result, Otamiser customers see their occupancy rates increase by an average of 11 per cent and their overall profits rise significantly by an average of 24 per cent.
Otamiser’s core team consists of five entrepreneurs. CEO Bart-Jan Leyt’s leadership is aided by Korneel Defauw, co-founder and CRO, and a management team including Lucas Ballyn [CTO], Nils Casteur [CCO] and Jarne Vancompernolle [COO].
Bart-Jan Leyts, founder and CEO of Otamiser, said: “This raise is a testament to our innovative approach and the market’s need for our platform. While direct booking websites remain important, the reality is that nearly 75 per cent of bookings now come through platforms like Booking.com, Expedia and Airbnb, and positioning on these platforms is crucial. There is a huge demand from hoteliers and property managers to rank higher on OTAs.
“With this new capital, we’re going to enhance our existing Otamiser data-driven tools, and launch a new AI-driven product for Airbnb operators. We will also expand our commercial team to capture market share quickly.
“We’re determined to transform the way the hospitality industry leverages online booking platforms. With Pitchdrive VC as our partner, we’re in the perfect position to ramp up our international expansion,” he added.
Joining Pitchdrive VC are an impressive array of investors including: Stijn Christiaens, co-founder of Collibra; Jacob Quartier, formerly of Showpad; Peter van Praet, founder of Bavet; Viktor De Maertelaere of Hospitality House hotel chain; Lorenz Bogaert, the entrepreneur behind Netlog and StarApps; and the duo behind startup wonder Henchman, Jorn Vanysacker and Gilles Mattelin.
Wim Derkinderen, co-founder of Pitchdrive VC, said: “From the first contact with Otamiser, we realised how much potential this team has. Their relentless drive, vision and execution power [almost $2 million ARR accomplished fully bootstrapped] combined with their dedication is very uncommon and extremely promising. They operate in the enormous market of hospitality with very big upwards potential.
“Pitchdrive is not only leading the first funding round of Otamiser but we’re also excited to support them into the next phase of growth.”
Korneel Defauw, co-founder and CRO of Otamiser, said: “Just having a website used to be enough in hospitality but now, if you don’t rank high, you can be dooming yourself to weak occupancy and rates forever. On OTAs, around three-quarters of bookings can be claimed by the top 15 listings, so good positioning is, without question, one of the most important things an operator or property manager must achieve.
“By securing those coveted top spots, we significantly increase our customers’ chances of attracting more bookings and maximising revenue. This strategic advantage has become a key priority for everyone because the market today is so competitive,” he added.
The post Otamiser secures $3 million in funding to drive global expansion appeared first on Boutique Hotel News.