Flightkeys Group – a cloud-based flight planning and optimization software built specifically for the most innovative global airlines – announced a strategic growth investment from global software investor Insight Partners.
Launched in 2015 by a team of passionate aviation experts with a combined 200 years of experience, Flightkeys offers the most modern, cloud-based solution for dynamic flight planning and optimization. And FLIGHTKEYS 5D enables innovative airlines to maximize airline network throughput, increase on-time performance, minimize greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint, and ensure compliance with the highest safety standards. Built from the ground up using modern software standards, Flightkeys has powered 291 million trajectories and generates 380,000 flight plans daily.
The funding comes at an exciting time for Flightkeys. And the company’s leading solution powers flight planning at some of the world’s largest carriers, with many more currently implementing FLIGHTKEYS 5D. Plus, Insight’s partnership enables Flightkeys to accelerate the company’s investments into its strategic roadmap, R&D, and customer service.
The founders of Flightkeys retain majority control and management of the Group.
In connection with the investment, existing investor B&C Group will transfer its shareholding position in Flightkeys to Insight after a highly successful eight-year investment. And B&C’s investment in Flightkeys represents a landmark transaction in the Austrian technology industry.
Flightkeys, which is based in Vienna, Austria with 110 employees globally, offers FLIGHTKEYS 5D to optimize flight schedules for airlines in real time to save costs and to reduce emissions. Subsidiary company Spacekeys provides RAIM prediction of GPS satellite signals; a further subsidiary company, Skykeys, transforms the work of pilots with Loretta, its in-cockpit optimization solution. Flightkeys is a rapidly scaling market leader in U.S. and European markets and offers its solutions to all global airlines.
The funding remains subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in Q4 ’24.
Drake Star served as financial advisor to Flightkeys Group. The legal advice to Flightkeys and its founders was provided by Schönherr Rechtsanwälte GmbH and Jank Weiler Operenyi Rechtsanwaelte GmbH. Plus, Willkie Farr & Gallagher and E+H Rechtsanwälte GmbH provided legal advice to Insight Partners. Grohs Hofer Rechtsanwälte GmbH provided legal advice to B&C Group.
KEY QUOTES:
“At Flightkeys, we set out to build the best flight planning software solutions to help the airline industry deliver better performance for passengers all over the world. We are delighted to be working with Insight Partners, who supports our vision of building world-class software solutions for airlines that make dispatchers and pilots more effective and allows airlines to improve operations for the benefit of their customers.”
-Flightkeys Co-Founders Christoph Prinz and Raimund Zopp on behalf of Flightkeys’ seven co-founders
“We are very excited to be partnering with Flightkeys’ founders in their mission to bring modern, cloud-based flight planning software to the aviation industry. At Insight, our goal is to find and partner with founders who are driving visionary, positive change in their industries. The Flightkeys team is highly experienced in aviation and built a solution that is rapidly becoming the market-standard for flight planning operations globally – ultimately making aviation more efficient, cleaner, and safer for the benefit of all.”
-Henry Frankievich, Managing Director at Insight Partners
“Flightkeys is an Austrian role model company and a success story for its founders as well as for B&C: The B&C Group has accompanied Flightkeys on its growth path as lead investor since 2016. Flightkeys is a great example for high-tech and software competence from Austria. At the same time, Flightkeys represents a perfect example for our ambition at B&C to act as a partner and to enable Austrian tech companies to grow and prosper.”
-Thomas Zimpfer, Managing Director of B&C Group
