Proposed premium airline Beond completes $17m seed round
Proposed new premium leisure airline Beond has raised $17m in a seed round as the company seeks to grow its team ahead of a slated launch later this year.
Beond,…
Proposed new premium leisure airline Beond has raised $17m in a seed round as the company seeks to grow its team ahead of a slated launch later this year.
Beond, which markets itself as “the world’s first premium leisure airline”, said the fundraising effort had been oversubscribed, “reflecting the strong confidence and belief in Beond’s vision and potential”.
Beond’s chairman and CEO, Tero Taskila, expressed gratitude towards the investors: “This funding round marks a significant milestone for Beond.
“We are humbled and excited to have the support of such remarkable investors who share our passion for innovation and believe in our mission.
“The investment will empower Beond to realise its full potential and deliver on the promise of both this ground-breaking business model in the airline industry and pioneering experience for passengers.
“Beond will operate a premium leisure experience for customers while bringing to bear the benefits of a lightweight, low-cost operation based on the collective decades of experience of our team.”
Beond picks Maldives as its first hub
Beond says it will begin operations in the autumn of 2023, with Maldives as its first hub, pending regulatory approval.
The airline intends to fly a fleet of Airbus A320 family aircraft in a lay-flat configuration, bringing passengers to Maldives from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
Participants in the recent seed round included angel investors and strategic partners. The investment will fuel Beond’s ambitious growth plans by expanding the team to accelerate product development and innovation, and hiring pilots and cabin crew to build the network.
The money will also be used to scale-up marketing and sales efforts, increasing brand visibility and market reach to capture a broader customer base.
It will also enable Beond to secure more capacity by investing in aircraft and full lie-flat premium seats to deliver an “unforgettable customer experience”.
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