Okarito

Okarito is a digital platform designed to streamline business travel management for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Launched in January 2018 by co-founders Brice Huet and Remi Duvoux, the company was established to address inefficiencies in corporate travel booking. The founders identified a gap in the market after observing that companies either relied on public booking sites, leading to a loss of control and complex expense reporting, or used traditional travel agencies that often lacked digital integration and involved extra fees. Okarito's solution was to create a free, no-commitment, entirely online platform. By January 2021, the company was serving over 500 businesses. A significant milestone was reached on July 3, 2020, when Okarito secured €2.1 million ($2.36M) in a Seed funding round led by Axeleo Capital, with participation from Kima Ventures and Notus Technologies. This capital was aimed at accelerating commercial development and expanding the team. The company's growth trajectory led to its acquisition by Swile, an employee benefits company, on May 17, 2022, integrating Okarito's services into Swile's broader offerings.

The firm operates as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider in the business travel market, targeting SMEs and startups. Its business model centers on simplifying the entire travel process, from booking to accounting. Revenue is generated through fixed fees per active traveler and negotiated contracts with its extensive network of suppliers. The platform provides access to a large inventory of flights, hotels, trains, and rental cars, allowing employees to book, modify, and cancel their own trips. This autonomy for the traveler is paired with enhanced control for the company. Financial departments benefit from centralized billing, receiving a single monthly invoice for all travel, which eliminates the need for employees to advance costs and manage individual expense reports. The system allows for the implementation of a travel policy, with features like customizable approval workflows and dynamic budgets that adjust in real-time to market prices, giving companies greater visibility and control over travel expenditures.

Keywords: business travel management, corporate travel, SME travel solutions, travel expense management, SaaS, online booking tool, travel and expense, automated invoicing, travel policy compliance, flight booking, hotel booking, train booking, corporate mobility, expense control, startup travel, acquired by Swile, Brice Huet, Remi Duvoux, travel tech, Paris, French tech