Where Are They Now? Updates on the Hot 25 Travel Startups 2024
It has been two years since PhocusWire introduced the Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2024. As we prepare to unveil the 2026 list, we are checking back in with standout companies from the 2021–2025 cohorts to see how far they’ve come. Many have scaled rapidly, secured new capital, expanded globally, or even completed successful exits.
Some, such as Katanox, have secured major international partnerships and expanded regulatory and payments footprints. Others, including Acai, Unravel and Blockskye, have raised new funding to accelerate growth. A few have exited, including Weeva, acquired by Travalyst, and Legends, acquired by Fora.
Below are highlights from selected alumni:
Katanox
Katanox continues to build financial infrastructure for hospitality. Recent wins include a global partnership with Wyndham, expansion of payment services into the U.K., and strong year-over-year revenue and GMV growth. The company is focused on embedded financial automation and AI-powered reconciliation tools to help hotels reduce operational friction and unlock new revenue efficiency.
Jerne
Jerne now supports more than 12,000 travel creators across 114 countries. Its proprietary Jerne Score helps brands evaluate influence and conversion value. The company is focused on scaling human-centric travel distribution alongside evolving AI-driven booking ecosystems.
The Host Co.
The Host Co. became profitable and integrated its retail marketplace directly into property management and direct booking systems. The company is capitalizing on the growth of direct bookings and short-term rental upsell opportunities.
Travlr ID
Travlr ID is advancing portable, secure traveler identity profiles and is now live with production deployments.
Turneo
Turneo expanded from Europe into North America, South America and Asia. Hotels using its platform now generate 2–3x more in-destination experience bookings. The company is investing in deep AI agents to handle complex traveler service flows.
As we look ahead to the class of 2026, the Hot 25 continues to highlight where innovation, capital and traveler behaviors are reshaping the global travel ecosystem.
Related news: https://airguide.info/category/air-travel-business/artificial-intelligence/, https://airguide.info/category/air-travel-business/travel-business/
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, PhocusWire