Dnata has purchased a majority stake in artificial intelligence specialist tech firm bd4travel.
Bd4travel, which has offices in Frankfurt and London, specialises in AI-based technology which uses machine-learning to “listen” to the signals from travel website users to create personalised content for them.
Andy Owen Jones, founder of bd4travel, said: “Gaining a company like dnata as a new majority shareholder was important for us.
“Their global backing will enable us to grow the business in areas of the world where we are not well represented today. They will also support us to expand our service for existing customers.”
Bd4travel will operate as an independent company within dnata, which is part of the Emirates Group, with the remit of accelerating the development of its technology across the travel industry.
Iain Andrew, dnata’s divisional senior vice president, travel services, said: “We are constantly looking for ways to embrace innovation to maximise efficiency and ensure service excellence.
“Our experience of working with bd4travel as one of their customers convinced us of the relevance and potential of their offering. We find their technology a game-changer in the travel industry and, as a global company, we are pleased to bring the team on board to deliver on a broader scale.”