YGO Raises €8 Million Series A to Make Travel Bookable Through AI Agents

Berlin-based travel technology startup YGO has raised €8 million in Series A funding to help travel companies connect their existing booking systems with the next generation of AI-powered travel assistants. The round was led by venture capital firm Ventech, with participation from Sake Bosch, Caesar Capital and several business angels.

Founded in 2023 by Julian Kögel, Sebastian Kreutzberger and Willi Ibbeken, YGO is developing an AI infrastructure layer that enables airlines, hotels, tour operators and travel agencies to make their products discoverable and bookable through AI assistants without replacing their existing technology.

Connecting travel suppliers with AI assistants

Travel companies hold extensive information about hotel facilities, room availability, pricing, destinations and travel packages. However, much of this information remains fragmented across legacy systems and formats that AI agents cannot easily interpret.

YGO addresses this problem by organising and enriching travel inventory into structured, machine-readable information. Its platform allows travel businesses to make product details available through their own websites and digital channels, as well as external AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.

The startup offers several products to support this transition. Its content enrichment technology creates structured hotel information, while its Hotel Q&A tool enables travellers to ask questions directly on hotel pages and receive verified answers in their preferred language.

Its AI Distribution product goes a step further by allowing AI agents to access and book travel inventory. The platform also supports personalised recommendations and automated customer interactions, helping travel suppliers introduce AI-powered experiences without rebuilding their booking infrastructure.

Helping travel businesses regain direct customer relationships

Online travel agencies and metasearch platforms have traditionally played a major role in connecting travellers with suppliers, often capturing an estimated 15% to 25% of each booking's value. As consumers increasingly use conversational AI to research holidays, travel companies are looking for ways to reach customers directly through these emerging channels.

YGO positions its infrastructure as a way to reduce dependence on intermediaries while retaining control over customer relationships and distribution.

The company already works with established European travel businesses, including airline Condor, tour operator Bentour and GetAway Group. According to YGO, one airline customer reduced manual operational work by 90% and improved conversion by 20%. Another customer recorded a 2.4-fold increase in average order value without adding headcount.

The startup also reports that its annual recurring revenue reached seven figures within six months and that its infrastructure has processed more than €15 million in bookings.

Funding to accelerate international expansion

The €8 million investment follows an earlier €2.5 million funding round announced in August 2024, which was led by GetAway Group.

YGO will use the new capital to expand its sales and go-to-market operations, strengthen its AI orchestration platform and grow its customer base beyond the Germany, Austria and Switzerland region. The company plans to target both enterprise travel businesses and mid-sized operators as AI-driven travel discovery gains momentum.

For Ventech, the investment reflects a broader shift in online travel distribution. As AI assistants increasingly influence how people discover and compare travel options, the infrastructure that makes supplier information accurate, accessible and bookable could become an important part of the industry's next phase.

YGO aims to position itself at the centre of that transition, helping travel companies adapt to AI-led commerce while continuing to use the systems they already rely on.