London-based Holiwise raises €1.45 million and partners with industry leaders to reinvent premium travel
Holiwise, an AI-powered travel agency based in London, has raised €1.45 million in an oversubscribed pre‑seed funding round. The round was led by Bobby Previti of Bank of America, and co-led by Ulf Nilsson from DHL, who will also join Holiwise’s board. Other participants include senior executives from Barclays, Google, Goldman Sachs, and investors such as Sabri El JAILANI, Filippo Zorzoli, and Houman Ashrafzadeh.
Founded by Swedish entrepreneurs Albin Eriksson Lippe and Kristian Lexeklint, Holiwise offers a plug‑and‑play AI travel agent designed for premium travellers. The platform uses deep learning and dynamic packaging to instantly create personalised itineraries that combine flights, premium accommodation, and curated experiences. Users can customise trips based on mood, budget, location, or timeframe and book entire packages with a single click through Holiwise’s Portal CRM, Wallet, Web Ordering, and Tipping tools.
“We’ve identified a clear gap in the market between mainstream online travel agencies and high‑end travel concierges,” said Albin Eriksson Lippe, CEO and Co‑founder of Holiwise. “Premium travellers are underserved, often forced to choose between impersonal, self‑serve booking platforms or expensive concierge services that are slow to access. Holiwise is building an AI travel agent that combines the convenience of technology with the quality of a tailored luxury experience. It can instantly plan and book complete personalised itineraries, including synchronised flights, premium stays, and curated experiences for individuals or groups.”
Holiwise has formed critical industry partnerships with HBX Group, offering access to a global network of hotels, resorts, and apartments and Amadeus, the world’s largest global distribution system provider. Together, these integrations enable Holiwise to offer end‑to‑end trip planning and booking across flights, stays, and experiences in more than 10,000 destinations worldwide.
Investor Bobby Previti commented, “I agree with the founders’ vision that there is a gap in the market for premium travellers. Holiwise is taking an innovative approach to solve the problem, with an exceptional team that understands the problem well. I strongly believe that the team is in the right place at the right time, working towards a vision that I’m keen to support.”
Holiwise’s platform is already live, attracting tens of thousands of monthly users, over 80% of whom return to book again. In 2024, the company was named one of FutureTravel’s Top 10 Travel Startups Globally.
Holiwise offers an invite‑only Premium Account for discerning travellers, startups, and SMEs. Premium members enjoy insider rates on over one million global stays, often significantly better than mainstream travel sites and priority concierge support for flights, accommodation, restaurants, and personalised recommendations powered by Holiwise’s AI. Users report average savings of over £250 per trip.
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