About Online Travel sector in London, United Kingdom
The Online Travel sector in London, United Kingdom comprises 891 companies, including 209 funded companies having collectively raised $2.97B in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 114 are Series A+ funded, and 1 has achieved unicorn status.
Online Travel sector in London, United Kingdom has seen 62 acquisitions and 17 IPOs. This represents almost 8.9% of all such companies - which is higher than the 4.5% exit rate of tech companies in general.
This sector includes platforms that enable planning and booking of travel services, or assist travel service providers with technology solutions.
Online Travel sector is also known as Travel Tech or Traveltech.
Companies that enable users to discover and book travel-related services such as transportation, accommodation, tours, and activities through online portals. Includes direct booking, meta-search and discovery platforms, and professional travel assistants.
Companies that provide tools and informational platforms that assist in the planning of travel activities. Includes content platforms/travel guides, itinerary organizers, travelogue sharing platforms, travelers social networks and travel review platforms.
Online platforms that provide information/services for passengers in-transit.
Companies that enable/assist travel service providers in improving/increasing their online presence. Excludes local tour operators which operate on an asset-heavy model.
Excludes large asset-heavy hotel chains like ICG.
Excludes hyper-local discovery and events ticketing companies like Zomato and BookMyShow.
Top Online Travel Companies in London, United Kingdom
There are 891 Online Travel startups in London, United Kingdom which include Eurostar, Yonder, Ben, Trainline, Secret Escapes. Out of these, 209 startups are funded, with 114 having secured Series A+ funding, and 1 achieving unicorn status.
2026 has seen the creation of 3 Online Travel startups in London, United Kingdom. Over the past 10 years, an average of 35 new companies have been launched annually. Notably, several of these startups have been founded by alumni of University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and INSEAD.
Here is the list of top Online Travel startups in London, United Kingdom
1. Eurostar
Key facts about Eurostar
- Founded Year: 1994
- Location: London (United Kingdom)
- Stage: Series C
- Total Funding till date: $130M
- Investors: NationalRailwayCompanyofBelgium, SNCF and 4 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Conventional Debt, May 18, 2021, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 77/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 9 of 2,435 Competitors
2. Yonder
Key facts about Yonder
- Founded Year: 2020
- Location: London (United Kingdom)
- Stage: Series B
- Total Funding till date: $81.4M
- Investors: Northzone, RTP Global and 47 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series B, Apr 08, 2025, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 76/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 23 Competitors
3. Ben
Prepaid cards for employee benefits. It features solutions to manage multiple categories including health and wellness, food and drink, learning and development, and more. It provides a platform for displaying balances and transactions. It also provides spend analytics and relevant information to deal with tax and accounting.
Key facts about Ben
- Founded Year: 2019
- Location: London (United Kingdom)
- Stage: Series B
- Total Funding till date: $48.5M
- Investors: Seedcamp, Atomico and 16 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series B, Dec 17, 2025, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 71/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 3 of 25 Competitors
4. Trainline
Online retailer of train and bus tickets for various routes. It provides a platform to search, compare, and purchase tickets from numerous companies. The platform offers real-time travel information, displaying routes and timetables. It facilitates booking and potential refunds based on ticket terms.
Key facts about Trainline
- Founded Year: 1997
- Location: London (United Kingdom)
- Stage: Acquired
- Investors: HarbourVest Partners, Shanda and 3 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Post IPO, Jan 07, 2021, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 66/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 7 of 281 Competitors
Retailer of discounted travel packages for hotels and holiday stays. This business facilitates the booking of accommodation and travel arrangements by sourcing inventory from hospitality providers. It operates a membership model to provide access to reduced rates for various lodging options and vacation packages. The service includes options for flight-inclusive trips and additional amenities such as late checkouts or room upgrades. Financial protection is provided for specific travel services in accordance with regulatory requirements.
Key facts about Secret Escapes
- Founded Year: 2010
- Location: London (United Kingdom)
- Stage: Series D
- Total Funding till date: $333M
- Investors: Merian Global Investors, Temasek and 25 Others
- Latest Funding Round: Series D, May 27, 2020, $*****
- Tracxn Score: 66/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 1 of 2 Competitors
Companies founded year-on-year in the Online Travel sector in London
3 new startups have been founded so far in 2026 in the Online Travel sector in London. 62 Online Travel startups in London were founded in 2019 - this is the most number of startups founded in any year in the last 10 years.
- Total Number of Companies
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 3 |
2025 | 5 |
2024 | 13 |
2023 | 35 |
2022 | 24 |
2021 | 44 |
2020 | 47 |
2019 | 62 |
2018 | 62 |
2017 | 57 |
Stage-wise distribution of Online Travel sector companies in London
Out of the total 891 Online Travel companies in London, 209 have secured funding. Among them, 114 have reached Series A or higher, and 94 to Series B or beyond.
Founded - 891
Funded - 209
Series A+ - 114
Series B+ - 94
Series C+ - 86
Company Stage | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Founded | 891 |
Funded | 209 |
Series A+ | 114 |
Series B+ | 94 |
Series C+ | 86 |
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Funding Trends in the Online Travel sector in London
Total funding year-on-year in the Online Travel sector in London
The Online Travel sector in London saw a total funding of more than $2.44B in the last 10 years. The most amount of funding was in 2021 at more than $906M. There has been a total funding of $74.1M in 2026 till date.
- Total Funding
Year | Total Funding |
|---|---|
2026 | $74.1M |
2025 | $74.1M |
2024 | $95.7M |
2023 | $122M |
2022 | $83.5M |
2021 | $906M |
2020 | $109M |
2019 | $235M |
2018 | $261M |
2017 | $476M |
Recent Funding Rounds in Online Travel in London
In the year 2026, till March 2026, Online Travel companies in London have raised $8M in equity funding across 1 round.
In the same period last year (i.e. till February 2025), Online Travel companies in London had raised $3.31M across 1 round.
So, 2026 has seen a 141.44% rise in funding in Online Travel companies in London as compared to 2025.
Here are some recent, important funding rounds in Online Travel companies in London:
Company | Round Raised | Amount Raised | Funding Date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Seed | 4033 | Mar 25, 2026 | ||
Series B | 5261 | Dec 17, 2025 | ||
Series A | 9129 | Sep 25, 2025 | ||
Seed | 8333 | Sep 08, 2025 | ||
Seed | 5612 | Aug 26, 2025 | - |
Top Investors in Online Travel in London
Accel is the top investor in Online Travel companies in London based on number of companies invested.
Here are some top investors in Online Travel companies in London:
Investor | Location | Top Portfolio Companies |
|---|---|---|
Palo Alto (United States) | ||
Cambridge (United States) | - | |
London (United Kingdom) | ||
Boston (United States) | ||
London (United Kingdom) |
M&A activity in Online Travel sector in London
In the year 2026, till March 2026, 3 acquisitions happened in Online Travel sector in London. Last year, in 2025, a total of 3 acquisitions happened in Online Travel sector in London.
Here are some recent, important acquisitions in Online Travel sector in London:
Company | Acquisition Type | Acquisition Date | Acquirers |
|---|---|---|---|
Business Acquisition | Mar 11, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Feb 25, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Jan 22, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | May 02, 2025 | ||
Business Acquisition | Feb 14, 2025 |
Acquisition trends in Online Travel sector in London
Here are the acquisition trends in Online Travel sector in London:
- Total Number of Acquisitions
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 3 |
2025 | 3 |
2024 | 3 |
2023 | 5 |
2022 | 6 |
2021 | 1 |
2020 | 6 |
2019 | 4 |
2018 | 3 |
2017 | 5 |
IPOs in Online Travel in London
In the year 2014, till June 2014, 1 IPO happened in Online Travel sector in London.
Here are some recent, important IPOs in Online Travel sector in London:
Company | IPO Date | Exchange Symbol |
|---|---|---|
Jun 30, 2014 | London Stock Exchange (LSE) |
Colleges which produce the most Online Travel companies in London
Companies founded by alumni from top colleges in the Online Travel in London
Most number of Online Travel startups in London have been founded by alumni from University of Oxford, University of Cambridge and INSEAD.
College | No. of companies |
|---|---|
University of Oxford | 11 |
University of Cambridge | 8 |
INSEAD | 7 |
Harvard University | 5 |
Imperial College London | 4 |
Harvard Business School | 3 |
Stanford University | 3 |
London Business School (LBS) | 2 |
London School of Economics and Political Science | 2 |
Tel Aviv University | 2 |
Total funding in Online Travel companies founded by alumni from top colleges in London
In the last 10 years, University of Oxford graduates' Online Travel companies in London have raised the most funding among top colleges. London Business School (LBS) and Monash University alumni are second.
College | Total Funding |
|---|---|
University of Oxford | $350M |
London Business School (LBS) | $144M |
Monash University | $144M |
University of Cambridge | $87.2M |
Harvard University | $81.2M |
Harvard Business School | $80.8M |
Maastricht University | $46M |
INSEAD | $38.9M |
Tel Aviv University | $24.1M |
Technion Israel Institute Technology | $24M |
Top News in Online Travel in London
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Trainline leverages AI for personalized travel experience and operational efficiencyTravolution•Jun 05, 2026•Trainline
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Eviivo Partners with Mr & Mrs Smith for Hotel IntegrationTravel Daily Media•May 21, 2026•Eviivo, Mr & Mrs Smith
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Travelodge targets TMCs with HotelHub integrationBusiness Travel News Europe•Apr 21, 2026•Travelodge, HotelHub
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Freightliner Operates First Hydrogen Train to NottinghamshireHydrogen Central•Dec 05, 2025•Freightliner Trucks, National Rail, GeoPura
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Trainline raises end of year guidance amid rail nationalisation; Shares surge 5.19%City A.M.•Nov 05, 2025•Trainline
