Asia-focused venture capital firm Gobi Partners has made a strategic investment in Bangladesh-based Jatri, a B2B travel commerce platform. The investment amount was not disclosed.
Jatri, which enables travel buyers and transport operators to access and sell bus, ferry and vehicle inventory, primarily operates in Bangladesh but has expanded its platform to partners across Southeast Asia, the U.K., Europe, North America and the Middle East.
Jatri said the fresh capital will support product innovation and grow partnerships with airlines, hospitality providers, travel buyers and financial institutions. The investment will also help the company expand its Middle East and North Africa (MENA) ecosystem, which accounts for almost 60% of its total revenue, supported by its regional travel brand, Saafir.
Aziz Arman, founder and CEO of Jatri, said the company is working to build a connective layer between travel and mobility.
“Travel has long operated in silos: inventory, distribution and financing rarely work together,” Arman said. “Jatri changes that. Our ability to fulfil last-minute, large-scale travel across global markets at competitive prices is a direct result of our supply depth and platform architecture.”
The global network that comes with Gobi Partners and its industry expertise support Jatri’s mission to scale responsibly and to create long-term value across the globe, Arman said.
The investment is Gobi Partners’ first in Bangladesh. The firm said that the investment underscores the country’s emerging technology ecosystem and Jatri’s potential to scale globally.
Thomas G. Tsao, co-founder and chairman of Gobi Partners, said the firm sees Jatri as a winner when compared to other travel and mobility startups in Bangladesh and the wider region.
“Jatri represents what we look for in founders building technology-led infrastructure that operates across borders and create durable economic impact,” Tsao said.