IAI sp. z o.o. (IdoSell & IdoBooking)

IAI Group is a significant player in the Central and Eastern European e-commerce technology sector, providing comprehensive Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions. The company was founded in 2000 by Paweł Fornalski and Sebastian Muliński, two childhood friends from Szczecin, Poland, who shared an interest in IT and economics. Their initial venture was a popular hip-hop music portal, Hip-Hop.pl, which led them to create a successful online store. The success of this store attracted other entrepreneurs, laying the groundwork for what would become IAI. Both founders have deep roots in technology; Fornalski, recognized for his contributions to Polish e-commerce, holds master's and doctoral degrees in computer science and was the chief architect of the IdoSell platform. Muliński, with a background in econometrics, also co-founded Hip-Hop.pl and has been active in the e-commerce space since 2000.

The company's core operations are divided into two primary brands: IdoSell and IdoBooking. IdoSell is a comprehensive e-commerce platform designed for medium to large online merchants, serving both B2C and B2B clients. It provides a complete suite of tools for managing online stores, including a secure and scalable infrastructure, customizable website templates, and integrations with payment gateways, logistics providers, and marketplaces like Allegro, Amazon, and eBay. IdoBooking, launched in 2013, caters to the short-term rental and hospitality industry. It functions as an all-in-one property management system, channel manager, and booking engine, enabling owners of apartments, vacation homes, and small hotels to manage reservations from multiple sources, including Booking.com and Airbnb, through a single calendar.

IAI operates on a subscription-based model, with IdoBooking also offering a commission-based option. The company has demonstrated substantial growth through both organic development and strategic acquisitions. A key milestone was its 2009 debut on the NewConnect stock exchange. In 2018, private equity fund MCI Capital acquired a majority stake, leading to the company's delisting in 2019 to fuel further expansion. Under MCI's ownership, IAI expanded internationally, acquiring Hungarian market leader ShopRenter in 2021 and Polish enterprise solution provider AtomStore in 2023. By 2024, the Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) handled by its platforms exceeded 20 billion PLN, representing over 10% of the Polish e-commerce market. In July 2025, a deal was announced for Montagu Private Equity to acquire IAI Group from MCI Capital and the founders, marking a new chapter for the company.

Keywords: e-commerce platform, SaaS, online store builder, IdoSell, IdoBooking, booking engine, channel manager, property management system, Paweł Fornalski, Sebastian Muliński, Polish e-commerce, CEE technology, online retail solutions, B2B e-commerce, vacation rental software, MCI Capital, Montagu Private Equity, ShopRenter, AtomStore, IdoPay, online payments, cross-border commerce, omnichannel retail, e-commerce logistics, digital retail, Szczecin IT