OpenAI Acquires Odessia — Travel Startup Founded by Sonder’s Founder
OpenAI has acquired Odessia, and its founder, Francis Davidson, will join the company. The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
Odessia created an AI agent for planning and booking trips. According to Davidson, last summer, tens of thousands of early users planned trips through the service with a total annual value exceeding $60 million.
The startup was founded last year and launched its travel agent about five months ago. The tool is currently unavailable. Odessia raised $6 million in a funding round led by Sequoia.
OpenAI confirmed Davidson’s hiring but has not yet announced any new products or plans for the travel industry. Among the company’s clients and partners are Booking.com, Expedia, and KAYAK. An OpenAI representative noted that users of chatbots often seek travel assistance.
Davidson previously founded Sonder, a short-term apartment rental service. He led the company until the summer of 2025 and grew its revenue to over $600 million. After a partnership with Marriott fell through, Sonder went bankrupt and ceased operations.
