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Arcube, a Manchester-based startup aiming to transform the airline industry, has successfully raised a $1.5 million seed round co-led by Fuel Ventures & Oxford Capital Partners. Notable investors include the Chairman and former CEO of Pegasus Airlines and the founders of PointsYeah.com. The company has established its headquarters in the city青瓜视频檚 cutting-edge innovation district, Sister. The company青瓜视频檚 platform promises to unlock significant new revenue streams for airlines through smarter use of passenger data.

Founded by University of Manchester graduates Prithveesh Reddy and Harvey Lowe, Arcube has already caught the attention of industry insiders by winning the Venture Further Awards in the Technology category. Their platform leverages artificial intelligence to boost loyalty and ancillary revenue for airlines.

Making loyalty pay

Arcube青瓜视频檚 flagship product, the 青瓜视频淧assenger Intelligence Platform青瓜视频� is the world青瓜视频檚 first post-flight solution. It uses advanced data analytics to track passenger behaviour and suggest personalised upsells immediately after a flight. The technology was trialled by Etihad Airways, generating $1.6 million in extra revenue from just 1,300 passengers over the course of a year and achieving a notable 10.3% increase in average order value.

Airlines have long struggled to build loyalty among infrequent flyers. Many passengers hold dormant loyalty accounts with insufficient points to redeem meaningful rewards. Arcube青瓜视频檚 solution enables passengers to convert their unused miles into ancillaries such as priority boarding, fast-track security and lounge access. These ancillaries are reserved for a future booking, to incentivise the passengers return to the same airline.

Reddy explained, 青瓜视频淎irlines have vast amounts of passenger data青瓜视频攚hat people eat on board, how early they arrive at the airport, how long they spend in lounges青瓜视频攂ut much of it goes unused. Our platform bridges that gap by offering tailored, real-time options to passengers as soon as they get off the flight.青瓜视频�

 From student project to startup success

Arcube青瓜视频檚 journey began at The University of Manchester青瓜视频檚 Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC), which was established by Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS) enterprise lecturers in 2000 and provides resources and support for budding entrepreneurs. The duo started by taking part in the Centre青瓜视频檚 entrepreneurship courses and later secured early-stage funding through MEC青瓜视频檚 Kickstarter scheme. Earlier this year, Arcube took first place in the prestigious Venture Further Awards, one of the UK青瓜视频檚 leading university startup competitions. 青瓜视频淭he Masood Entrepreneurship Centre gave us a vital platform,青瓜视频� said Lowe. 青瓜视频淭heir mentorship and financial support have played a crucial role in our progress.青瓜视频�

The company has also recently secured the Turing Innovation Catalyst Manchester AI innovation grant.

Building trust with industry giants

Breaking into the airline industry is notoriously difficult for newcomers, but Arcube managed to convince Etihad Airways to pilot its technology. Lowe reflected on the challenge: 青瓜视频淲e didn青瓜视频檛 have a track record, so we offered to build the software at our own risk, asking only for a share of the additional revenue we could generate. It was a bold approach, but after months of negotiations, Etihad agreed.青瓜视频� The pilot scheme青瓜视频檚 results speak for themselves. With Etihad handling over 17 million passengers annually, the potential for rolling out the solution on a larger scale is substantial.

Looking ahead

Having recently graduated, Reddy and Lowe are now focusing on scaling their operation. They are in discussions with 14 airlines globally and aim to establish Arcube as a leader in the burgeoning travel ancillary data market. 青瓜视频淥ur ambition is to create the world青瓜视频檚 largest data set for travel ancillaries,青瓜视频� Reddy said. 青瓜视频淎ncillaries already account for up to 20% of revenue for traditional airlines, and for low-cost carriers, it青瓜视频檚 often more than 50%. We青瓜视频檙e starting with airlines, but our vision extends to the entire travel ecosystem青瓜视频攃ar rentals, cruise lines, hotels.青瓜视频� With a combination of technical expertise, entrepreneurial grit, and early success, Arcube looks set to become a major player in travel tech. As the startup scales its platform and expands its client base, it青瓜视频檚 poised to offer a smarter, data-driven approach to airline loyalty and revenue generation.

Read more about Arcube's success .

Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC)

The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC) is the focal point for enterprise and entrepreneurship teaching, learning and startup support at The University of Manchester. Find out more about our on- and co-curricular activities .