United Airlines Ventures (UAV), the corporate venture capital arm of United, has taken an equity stake in Dfinitiv, a loyalty commerce and media technology specialist.
Terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but the airline is exploring use cases of Dfinitiv’s technology across its loyalty program, MileagePlus, and its commerce media network, Kinective Media, which was unveiled a year ago.
Dfinitiv, which was founded in 2022, offers a commerce experience platform called SmartCXP that helps brands make personalized offers and drive loyalty and SmartLink, described as an engine connecting “user context and intent to optimized in-app, web and on-screen experiences.”
"We're proud to support United Airlines and United Airlines Ventures as they explore new technologies to elevate customer engagement—not just in travel but across the broader loyalty ecosystem," said Joseph Fitzgerald, co-founder and CEO of Dfinitiv. "SmartCXP is built to deliver the personalization, flexibility and scale needed to turn loyalty into a connected, everyday engagement platform.”
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Andrew Chang, head of UAV, said it is interested in companies that can help it “unlock new opportunities for growth.”
"We look for differentiated technologies, thoughtful user experience design and strong management teams that can scale. We believe Dfinitiv checks every box—and the versatility of their platform across multiple industries, including loyalty programs like MileagePlus, financial services, connected media platforms like Kinective Media and travel only enhances potential revenue streams.”
UAV also participated in a $15.8 million round for blockchain technology startup Blockskye earlier this year. More recently the venture arm invested in voice and conversational artificial intelligence startup aiOla.