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Founded by current CEO and former IBM Watson European Director Phil Westcott, Deal Engine develops artificial intelligence and machine learning software to assist private equity and investment firms with deal sourcing, market coverage, and data strategy. Based in San Francisco, California, the B2B enterprise SaaS company operates with approximately 32 employees across its primary offices and additional operations located in Miami. Backed by $5.7 million in venture capital funding, the growing business generates $5.5 million in annual revenue by enabling financial services institutions to curate and train proprietary artificial intelligence assets. These specialized assets are utilized to streamline complex deal origination and data engineering workflows for investment companies. The platform's market intelligence capabilities have earned industry recognition from several notable organizations, including the Private Equity Wire Awards, CogX, and the South Coast Tech Awards.
Deal Engine has raised $5.0M across 1 funding round.
Deal Engine has raised $5.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Deal Engine is a Miami-based travel software company founded in 2018 that builds AI-powered automation platforms to streamline back-office operations for airlines, online/offline travel agencies, and corporate travel managers.[1][5][6] Their core products—Automated Refund Platform, Automated Change Platform, and OnePoint integrated booking solution—eliminate manual processes via AI and APIs, reducing costs, generating new revenue streams, and improving efficiency for clients worldwide.[1][5] Serving top airlines and agencies across 30+ markets in the Americas and Europe, Deal Engine capitalizes on fluctuating pricing to cut corporate travel expenses while preserving policies and preferences, with estimated revenue of $14.6M, 64 employees (up 23% YoY), and $5.3M-$5.7M in funding.[2][3][5]
The company targets labor-intensive tasks like refunds and changes, enabling real-time data access and customization that boosts operational speed and traveler experience.[1][4][5]
Deal Engine was founded in 2018 by CEO Alex Jara, who leads a team including Eloy Hernandez (Head of Platform Engineering), Lucy Abarza (Head of Products), and Polo Albiter (Head of Business Development).[2][3][5] Headquartered in Miami with ties to San Francisco, the idea emerged from recognizing manual inefficiencies in travel back-office operations—"processes done by armies of people"—and leveraging proprietary AI/APIs for digital transformation.[1][3][4][6]
Early traction built on simplifying refunds and changes, securing $5.3M in funding (last a grant 1.5 years ago) and PhocusWire's Hot 25 Travel Startups 2024 recognition.[3][5] Pivotal moments include serving global clients and planning 3X growth, proving the model's cost-saving potential exceeded initial expectations.[5]
Deal Engine rides the post-pandemic travel recovery wave, where airlines and agencies face labor shortages and demand for digital efficiency amid rising costs.[5] Timing aligns with AI adoption in travel tech, automating legacy processes as OTAs mature and corporates seek policy-compliant savings.[2][6]
Market forces like fluctuating fares and refund complexities favor them, influencing the ecosystem by enabling agencies to compete with giants through cost reductions and revenue tools—positioning Deal Engine as a disruptor in a $800B+ industry standing on OTA/airline innovations.[5]
Deal Engine's trajectory points to 3X growth in 2025, with geographic expansion, deeper market penetration, and launches like advanced change automation.[5] Trends like AI ubiquity in travel and corporate sustainability (via efficient bookings) will propel them, potentially scaling to unicorn status if funding follows traction.
As travel digitizes further, their back-office focus could redefine agency operations, evolving from niche automator to essential infrastructure—cementing the efficiency edge that started with eliminating manual armies.
Deal Engine has raised $5.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Deal Engine's investors include F-Prime Capital, Creandum, Dawn Capital, F-Prime Capital Partners, Erik Nordlander, Tom Hulme, Vendep Capital, Nikolaj Nyholm, Gilad Berenstein, Sandor Palfy, PAR Capital, Plug and Play.
Deal Engine has raised $5.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $5.0M Seed in November 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2022 | $5M Seed | F Prime Capital | Creandum, Dawn Capital, F Prime Capital, Erik Nordlander, TOM Hulme, Vendep Capital, Nikolaj Nyholm, Gilad Berenstein, Sandor Palfy, PAR Capital, Plug And Play, Thayer Ventures | Announced |
