Heidi, a Bristol-based online tour operator specialising in flexible ski holidays, has picked up £5.6 million in funding. The round was led by Mercia Ventures (invested in Wobble Genomics and Newcells Biotech) with participation from Active Partners and private investors.
Funds utilisation
The funding will enable the Bristol-based company to further enhance its platform, expand its customer service teams, and create over 20 jobs in the year ahead.
As part of the deal, Mercia has introduced Sarah Doyle, who has held senior roles at several consumer brands, as Chair, along with Miles Hill and Michael Rivis, the former CEO and CTO of Sykes Cottages, as Non-executive Directors.
How was the idea born?
Heidi (formerly Ski Zoom) was founded in 2018 by brothers Marcus and Alexander Blunt, keen skiers who had both spent a decade working in the travel industry. With most operators only offering Saturday departures, they spotted a gap in the market for an online operator that could offer greater flexibility. They raised money from family and friends to launch the platform.
What does Heidi do?
The startup’s technology allows customers complete flexibility to create their bespoke package. They can choose from over 6,000 accommodation options in over 400 resorts, select the date of departure and length of stay, and sort by features such as quantity of snow or proximity to slope. Customers can also book group holidays that allow members to fly from different locations, and extras such as lift passes and ski hire.
Currently, Heidi employs 44 staff and it is growing rapidly with its revenue having quadrupled in the past two years, reaching £37 million in 2024 from £8.8 million in April 2022. It is touted to be the UK’s third-largest ski holiday operator, carrying over 34,000 passengers in the most recent season.
Last year, the startup launched its first step in offering end-to-end train travel for ski packages from the UK. It is now offering train transfers from the airport to a number of its top resorts in Switzerland.
Marcus Blunt, CEO of Heidi, said: “The launch of Heidi was borne out of our frustrations as keen skiers who wanted to get away to the slopes but at a time and date to suit our schedules. Having launched the company with limited investment and built it to its current size, we are now all set to take it to the next level. Our aim is to more than double in size in the next few years and become one of the top two ski travel operators.”
The Mercia Ventures team included Jan Oosthuizen and Adam Watts. Jan Oosthuizen said: “Marcus and Alexander have built a great business with strong values and a fantastic culture. Heidi offers a unique proposition that appeals to both package holiday customers, who can benefit from greater flexibility, and independent travellers who can book everything in one place. This investment will enable the team to pursue their ambitious growth plans and gain further market share.”
Billy Fox, Early-stage Investor at Active Partners, added: “With its unique approach to ski holiday bookings and in-house technology, Marcus and Alexander have found product-market fit in a large, poorly served market. Their impressive growth to date demonstrates Heidi’s ability to delight consumers with its truly flexible, best-in-class service and we’re excited to partner with them to reach many more mountain lovers in the UK and beyond.”
Our thoughts on Heidi
Disrupting the ski holiday market with its flexible, customer-centric approach, the company with its unique offerings like customisable packages and group bookings from different locations, positions it as a leading player in the ski travel industry. With strong backing from investors, Heidi is poised for rapid growth and aims to become one of the top ski travel operators.
