Spanish startup Acai Travel secures $4M Seed funding to transform travel operations with AI

In an industry still heavily dependent on human agents, managing the workload has become increasingly challenging. Tools available to travel agents have lagged behind the rising demands and complexities, further intensified by new systems and distribution methods introduced post-COVID. Compounding the issue, the pandemic caused a substantial loss of skilled agents, leaving companies understaffed and short on resources. Now, one Spanish startup has stepped up to tackle these pressing challenges.

Enter Acai Travel, a Barcelona, Spain-based startup that aims to modernize outdated travel tech, streamline operations, and alleviate the pressure on agents by using AI to transform how travel companies operate and serve their customers efficiently

Today, Acai Travel announced a $4M Seed round led by Nauta Capital, with support from DraperB1 and existing backer One Travel Ventures.

This new funding will fuel Acai’s mission to build an all-in-one operating system for travel agents, designed to double productivity, enhance call center efficiency, and improve traveler satisfaction. Already, Acai’s platform is serving major players across the industry, including Kiwi.com, lastminute.com, World Travel Inc, and Goway.

Founded in 2023 by Riccardo Vittoria (CEO) and Henry Chen Weinstein (Executive Chairman), Acai Travel builds on the duo’s prior success with 30SecondsToFly, an AI-driven travel tech startup previously acquired by American Express Global Business Travel. Leveraging their experience, Acai Travel uses advanced AI to transform travel services, focusing on tools that empower agents, optimize customer service, and boost revenue.

The platform’s AI-driven features allow agents to work more efficiently with solutions like AI Helpers, which provide policy details conversationally; GDS Overlay, translating industry jargon into plain English; AI Translation for seamless multilingual service; and Intelligent Routing, matching travelers to agents based on specific needs. These capabilities enable companies to cut operational costs by up to 50%, with added flexibility to deploy lower-cost agents across different regions.

“Acai is using AI to modernize travel operations with fast and easy-to-use tools so agents can focus on what they do best—delivering exceptional travel experiences. It’s an exciting milestone to raise a Seed round from experienced investors who understand the industry challenge and are backing us to solve it,” said Acai Travel CEO Vittoria.

Within months, Acai has already cut handling time by 20% for a travel management company client. With plans to extend its suite of products to support untrained agents in managing complex requests, the company anticipates up to a 70% cost reduction, bringing travel operations into a new era of efficiency, according to co-founder Henry Chen Weinstein.

Beyond efficiency, Acai’s platform opens up avenues for travel companies to gain insights into traveler preferences, allowing businesses to tailor their services and build loyalty. By tapping into AI-driven analytics, Acai enables companies to anticipate trends, refine operations, and stay competitive in an industry demanding constant adaptability.

“Covid-19 restrictions caused a huge drop in demand for travel and subsequently led to many trained agents leaving the sector. As demand returned to pre-pandemic levels, companies have struggled with efficiency and profitability,” said Jordi Viñas, General Partner at Nauta. “But Acai Travel’s platform, making use of LLM technologies and deep sector expertise, transforms travel operations by enabling companies to reduce handling times, hire untrained agents, and build a cheaper, more flexible workforce. We’ve been really impressed by the founding team’s industry experience and are really excited to see the impact they have on the travel industry over the long term.”