ETH Zurich spinout GetYourGuide secured $484m in a round led by SoftBank Vision Fund that took its total funding past $650m.
GetYourGuide, a Germany-based travel activity booking platform spun out of ETH Zurich, raised $484m in series E funding on Thursday led by Vision Fund, managed by telecoms conglomerate SoftBank.
The round also featured Swisscanto Invest, an asset management subsidiary of financial services firm Zürcher Kantonalbank, as well as Temasek, Lakestar, Korelya Capital and Heartcore Capital.
The round boosted the spinout’s overall funding to $655m and valued it at $2bn, making it ETH’s first spinout to attain unicorn status.
Founded in 2009, GetYourGuide runs an online platform where tourists can book tours and other attractions in destinations spanning 170 countries.
The spinout plans to channel the funding into growing its range of available tours, improving the platform’s search and booking capabilities and extending its marketing activities.
Ted Fike, a partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers, which manages Vision Fund, will join the board of directors at GetYourGuide.
