SeatBoost
SeatBoost: A Powerful New Product and Model for Airlines..
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | investor | €0.0 | round |
| N/A | €0.0 | round | |
* | N/A | Late VC | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
| USD | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Revenues | 0000 |
| EBITDA | 0000 |
| Profit | 0000 |
| EV | 0000 |
| EV / revenue | 00.0x |
| EV / EBITDA | 00.0x |
| R&D budget | 0000 |
Source: Dealroom estimates
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SeatBoost presents a compelling ancillary revenue solution for the airline industry, founded in 2015 by Kevin Stamler. Stemming from his experience in his family's travel business, where he observed the inefficiencies and lost revenue potential of managing unsold premium seats, Stamler envisioned a more dynamic and engaging way to handle upgrades. His background in the travel sector provided a foundational understanding of airline operations and customer desires, directly shaping the company's product.
The company's core offering is a mobile-based, live auction platform for last-minute seat upgrades. This system allows passengers to bid against each other for premium seats, such as business or first class, in the final hours leading up to a flight, typically starting 24 hours before departure and ending just before boarding. The process is designed to be straightforward for the traveler: after checking in, eligible passengers receive a notification to join an auction via the airline's app, where they can place bids. The highest bidders win the upgrades and receive new boarding passes on their phones. Airlines maintain control over the process by setting the starting bid prices and deciding which empty seats to make available for auction.
SeatBoost's business model is structured as a B2B2C (business-to-business-to-consumer) partnership with airlines. The company generates revenue by taking a percentage of the successful upgrade bids, creating a new, high-margin ancillary revenue stream for its airline partners without upfront costs. This model targets an airline's existing customer base at a point of high purchase intent—the pre-flight window. By transforming empty premium seats from a perishable liability into a revenue opportunity, SeatBoost helps airlines monetize unsold inventory that would otherwise yield no return. The platform has been adopted by various carriers, including TAP Air Portugal and LATAM Airlines, demonstrating its application across different international markets.
Keywords: airline ancillary revenue, seat upgrades, travel technology, mobile auctions, passenger experience, B2B2C, aviation software, in-flight services, dynamic pricing, travel tech