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SoftBank leads $484m series-E for GetYourGuide

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A consortium of investors led by SoftBank's Vision Fund has raised $484m in a series-E funding round for online travel booking platform GetYourGuide.

Investors Temasek, Lakestar, Korelya Capital, Heartcore Capital, Swisscanto Invest and Highland Europe also participated. The funding round was said to have been closed in February 2019, according to Unquote sister publication Mergermarket.

SoftBank's Vision Fund held a first close on €93bn in 2017 and invests in technology companies around the world. Its portfolio companies include Uber, Arm and WeWork.

Temasek invested nearly $50m in the funding round, according to reports. Temasek, which is owned by the Government of Singapore, invests from its own balance sheet and had a portfolio value of S$308bn as of March 2018.

SoftBank Investment Advisers partner Ted Fike will join the company's board of directors. The fresh capital will be used to expand the company's inventory of tourism experiences, expand its platform's capabilities, enhance user experience and diversify into new marketing channels.

The company was valued at €7-8m in 2010, according to Mergermarket. The company's valuation now exceeds $1bn, according to reports.

Previous funding
GetYourGuide received $500,000 in investment in a seed round in 2009.

Profounders Capital led a $2m funding round for the company in 2012, with participation from Swisscanto Invest, NFQ Capital and several business angels.

Spark Capital and Highland Capital Partners Europe raised $14m for the company's series-A in 2013.

Business angels Kees Koolen (former CEO of Booking.com) and Fritz Demopoulos (founder of Qunar.com) led a $4.5m series-A extension in 2014. Sunstone Capital, which is now known as Heartcore Capital, also participated. Koolen and Demopoulos are independent directors to the company.

In 2014, Spark Capital and Highland Europe injected $25m into the company as part of the its series-B round.

In 2015, KKR led a $50m round for the company, funding its investment primarily from its balance sheet. Existing investors Spark Capital, Highland Europe and Sunstone, as well as new investor Nokia Growth Partners, also participated. KKR partner Philipp Freise joined the company's board.

Battery Ventures led the company's series-D funding round in 2017, which saw participants invest $75m in GetYourGuide. Existing investors KKR, Spark Capital, Highland Europe, Sunstone and Nokia Growth participated in the round. Battery Ventures general partner Itzik Parnafes joined the company's board.

Company
Based in Berlin and founded in 2009, the company employs 500 people and operates offices in 14 countries around the world. The company is a booking platform for travel experiences such as walking tours, food tours, cooking classes and attraction tickets. GetYourGuide also offers a line of in-destination experiences called Originals. The company anticipates expansion of the line with at least 25 new destinations and product enhancements in the future.

People
SoftBank – Ted Fike (partner).
Highland Europe – Fergal Mullen (partner).
GetYourGuide – Johannes Reck (CEO, co-founder).

Advisers
Company – JP Morgan (corporate finance); Latham & Watkins (legal); Walder Wyss (legal)

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