#7 Angelinvesting.it - From idea to Series A - Weekly Newsletter
Takyon
3 Minutes to reflect
Currently, nearly half of hotel rooms are sold with a cancellation-free policy that allows customers to cancel their reservation without incurring any penalty if they're unable to travel. However, customers who want the flexibility to change their plans pay a higher rate than the standard price.
Takyon has introduced a new type of hotel rate called "Resellable", which is powered by NFT technology. This rate is less expensive than refundable rates, yet still offers greater flexibility for travelers. Interestingly, hoteliers seem to appreciate it because it provides cash flow benefits.
To date, 30 hotels have started offering Resellable rates powered by Takyon. This has resulted in 350,000 euros of cumulative gross merchandise volume (GMV) 150 days after launch. Takyon receives an average commission of 2% per booking.
I invested 10,000 euros in their pre-seed round in exchange for 0.4% and obtained an additional 0.6% of stock options in exchange for an advisor role.
The 3T's that convinced me to invest:
Trend: While I'm uncertain about the timing, I believe that the tokenization of the physical world will eventually occur. McKinsey has done an excellent job describing this phenomenon. Read more here.
Team: Antonio and his co-founding team are embarking on their second entrepreneurial initiative in the travel industry together. Over the past three months of mutual scouting, they have been consistently impressive.
Traction: The gross merchandise value is growing rapidly. Antonio, who was trained at Amazon, clearly knows what he's doing in this regard.
This is a pre-seed deal, and there is much more that we do not know than what we do. For this reason, I have invested a small amount. It is a small bet on a founding team that impressed me with their initial traction, positive attitude, and compelling vision.
2 Resources to advance to pro-level
I have decided to be completely transparent about my investment portfolio in startups. As of today, I have:
Invested in 25 projects (26 including Takyon)
Invested a total of £469k, £18k average ticket (£476 including Takyon)
Out of the 25, 12 are active, 6 have exited, and 7 have been written off.
You can find all the information at this link.
If you have time, check this EY document, it is surprisingly well done for EY standards :-)
1 Reason to be happy
1 complimentary hotel stay by Takyon for you if you refer a commercial lead for hotels or chains that converts. Click here for rewards!
If you liked this newsletter, share it via mail to a friend or on your socials. It would mean a lot to me.
Have a great weekend,
Simone
—
All the old posts available here
Want to invest with me: click here
Want to reach out: +447597685011