OpenAI has acquired Odessia, the AI travel startup founded by Francis Davidson, co-founder and former CEO of Sonder. Davidson announced the deal on November 10 and said he is joining OpenAI to focus on the future of travel. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Odessia was founded less than a year ago with the goal of building an AI travel agent capable of helping people research, plan and book trips. The platform could handle flights, hotels, logistics and experiences, turning a traveller’s preferences into a bookable itinerary.
The company raised $6 million in early funding led by Sequoia Capital and launched its travel agent only a few months before the acquisition. According to Davidson, more than $60 million worth of travel on an annualised basis was planned through Odessia over the summer by tens of thousands of early users.
I founded Odessia less than a year ago with the goal to ship the best AI travel agent in the market, and I believe we achieved that. - Francis Davidson, Founder of Odessia
Before Odessia, Davidson co-founded Sonder in 2014 and grew the short-term accommodation company into a unicorn. Sonder eventually ceased operations, but the experience gave Davidson deep exposure to the travel and hospitality sector - experience he later brought into Odessia.
I previously founded Sonder, taking it from 0 to $600M in revenues which took over a thousand people and a decade. This time, my approach with Odessia was radically different. We burned the old playbooks and radicalized ourselves to truly embrace the new agentic era. - Francis Davidson, Founder of Odessia
Davidson said he will now work on “the future of travel” at OpenAI, adding that he “couldn’t be more excited to help build that future as part of one of the defining companies of our time.” No details have yet been announced about how Odessia’s technology could be used in ChatGPT or other OpenAI products.
The company operated under Odessia.com, which now states that OpenAI has acquired the company and that the deal marks “an exciting next chapter” for its mission to reinvent travel. Existing customers are being directed to support for help with bookings and travel plans.
Odessia is a personal name, and some sources describe it as a Greek-rooted, lyrical variant of Odessa or Odysseus. It is commonly associated with a “long journey” or “one who wanders,” echoing the epic travels of the hero in Homer’s The Odyssey, which gives the name a flowing, adventurous feel.
Using a personal name can also bring benefits for a brand, including fostering trust, creating a more personal connection with customers, and giving the business a distinct character and sense of authenticity.
Odessia’s acquisition is another example of how quickly a young company can build value when a strong product, an experienced team and a well-developed brand come together. In less than a year, the startup developed its technology, attracted early users and established a recognisable identity in a competitive market, showing how each of these elements can contribute to building a business with long-term potential.