CellPoint Digital, a London-based provider of payment solutions to the airline and travel industries and a global developer of payment orchestration solutions, has raised $30 million in funding. This follows the $25 million funding secured back in 2022.
The round was led by Toscafund and Penta Capital. This capital will drive the company’s mission to modernise airline retailing, enabling airlines to enhance their digital capabilities and deliver more personalised customer experiences.
What is payment orchestration? Why does It matter?
Payment orchestration is a cutting-edge technology that streamlines payment processes across multiple providers and currencies. By leveraging this innovation, airlines can offer seamless transactions, reduce costs, and increase revenue, which is a critical advancement in the competitive travel sector.
Accelerates airtel retail transformation
Founded by Kristian Gjerding in 2007 in London, CellPoint Digital’s solutions empower airlines to adopt dynamic retailing practices. By integrating advanced payment platforms, airlines can better manage inventory, optimise pricing, and offer real-time promotions, driving customer loyalty and boosting profitability.
Global expansion plans on the horizon
With this fresh funding, CellPoint Digital aims to expand its footprint across key global regions. These efforts align with the company’s strategic goal to become the leading partner for airlines navigating the complexities of modern digital retailing.
The investment will enable the company to intensify its focus on optimising payment and money movement services for its clients whilst expanding its Alternative Payment Method (APM) hub to service the growing needs of its partners.
This expansion will support CellPoint Digital in delivering on its already won contracts, including the recently announced partnership with Riyadh Air, and fulfilling its growing partnership with Sabre.
A game-changer for the travel industry
As the travel industry rebounds post-pandemic, the company’s innovations could redefine how airlines operate in the digital age. It’s payment orchestration solution helps travel brands increase top-line revenue by improving authorisation rates and providing a frictionless payment experience in the booking path, presenting customers with the payment methods they want to use, no matter where they are in the world.
The platform also allows merchants to adopt a multi-acquirer payments model that opens up new growth opportunities, uses intelligent routing to minimise transaction costs, especially on cross-border transactions, and provides control and transparency across all payment processes.
New payments platform
CellPoint Digital’s new OOSD (Offer/Order Travel Retailing) platform represents an advancement in airline commerce capabilities, enabling:
- Seamless transition from legacy PSS to modern Offer and Order architecture
- Payment-driven offer creation and management across all channels
- Unified payment orchestration supporting diverse payment methods
- Real-time order management and fulfilment
- Data-driven personalisation at scale
To meet the evolving needs of the travel industry, the company continues to enhance its offer and order retailing capabilities, operating in a travel landscape increasingly defined by new distribution capability (NDC). This innovative approach helps secure partnerships with forward-thinking airlines.
Looking ahead: What’s next for CellPoint Digital?
This $30 million investment is a vote of confidence in the company’s technology and strategic direction. As CellPoint Digital scales its operations and broadens its reach, it’s poised to become a key driver of transformation in the airline industry. This round marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of airline technology. With the ability to streamline payments and unlock new retail opportunities, the company is setting the stage for a future where airlines can thrive in an increasingly digital world.
“CellPoint Digital has continually solidified its leading market position and demonstrated its ability to expand aggressively and responsibly,” said Steven Scott, Founding Partner of Penta Capital. “As we forecast demand for CellPoint Digital’s solutions to continue across the global travel sector, we are confident that this investment will represent another compelling growth opportunity.”
“As our company has grown rapidly in the last few years, we have delivered our industry-first payment orchestration solution to more travel brands worldwide, supporting them in optimising payment processes, driving profitability, and improving their customers’ experience,” said Kristian Gjerding, CEO of CellPoint Digital. “This latest investment from our valued partners at Toscafund and Penta Capital not only acknowledges our growth and the ongoing strong demand for our solutions in the travel industry but also paves the way for more global expansion and success within the market, positioning the company for long-term scalability.”
