Distribusion aims to continue its rapid growth and plans global expansion.
BERLIN – Distribusion Technologies, a leading GDS for intercity and shuttle bus products, announces it has raised 6 million euros funding from international investors Northzone, Creandum and HR Ventures. Existing seed investor Fruhphasenfonds Brandenburg as well as industry-specific business angels complete the finance round.
Focus on global expansion and product development
The funding will be used to accelerate the product and technology development and to ramp up the acquisition and integration of new bus operators and resellers. In addition, Distribusion will push market coverage across Europe and expand their business operations to the major intercity bus markets in South America and Southeast Asia. For this purpose, the teams in Berlin and Bonn will be tripled by the end of 2016.
Bus operators and travel industry benefit from innovative GDS
Distribusion already works with major European mobility and travel brands and increased its portfolio fivefold in the last six months. Today, the company provides 2 million bookable rides of more than 60 bus operators covering 25 countries to online resellers and travel agencies worldwide through an API as well as a booking system for travel agencies. This makes the company the largest distribution platform for intercity bus rides.
With its innovative technology, Distribusion enables intercity and shuttle bus operators for the first time to connect to a wide-ranging worldwide reseller network of travel websites, OTAs, travel agencies mobility apps. In doing so, bus operators lower their partnership management costs and increase ticket sales at the same time. Meanwhile resellers benefit from getting extensive bus products through a single system.
Distribusion backed by European top investors
Founder and CEO Julian Hauck explains: “Considering the high interest in this round, with Creandum and Northzone we are excited to win two of Europe’s most successful investors for our mission. With their support, we will be able to grow our team and to roll out our GDS on a global scale.”
Tim He, Principal at Northzone comments: “Distribusion is revolutionizing intercity bus travel. With their innovative technology and business model serving both bus operators and travel agents, they are in a strong position to take on the fragmented intercity bus market globally. I have been hugely impressed with what they have achieved to date, and I am delighted to be partnering with their ambitious management team.”
“It sounds like a cliche, but we at Creandum are all about backing the best entrepreneurs across Europe. We’re excited about Julian and Johannes’ vision, and what they’ve been able to accomplish – Distribusion is having a major positive impact on bus operators, resellers, and consumers,” says Sabina Wizander at Creandum.
Ertan Can, Director at HR Ventures, the venture capital company of Hahn Air, says: “We are deeply impressed by the performance of Distribusion and how they captured the European market. The company is changing intercity bus distribution for the better and is setting new standards in the industry.”
Alongside the venture firms, travel industry experts Thomas Doring, Chris Hitchen, Richard Chen, Bo Mattsson and Marc Mogalle are participating as business angels in the investment round.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
