#69 - Space Travel, Humanoid Robots & Autonomous Vehicles: The Future is Officially Here
Techne Times Issue #69
INDUSTRY NEWS BITES
Waymo Raises $16B To Scale Internationally, Boosts Total Valuation to $126B
Waymo - Alphabet Inc.’s autonomous driving unit – has raised $16B in new funding, boosting its valuation to $126B and fueling an aggressive international expansion of its autonomous mobility services. The round, led by Dragoneer, Sequoia, DST Global and Alphabet, will help scale its autonomous driving tech Waymo Driver across more U.S. and global cities, with ride-hailing operations planned in 20+ additional cities in 2026, including Tokyo and London. Waymo reports 15M rides in 2025, tripling annual volume, and currently delivers about 400,000 rides weekly across six U.S. metropolitan areas.
02/03/2026
Self-driving Startup Waabi Raises $1B, Partners with Uber to Expand Into Robotaxis
Canadian autonomous driving startup Waabi has raised a total of $1B, including a $750M Series C round co-led by Khosla Ventures and G2 Venture Partners, to scale its physical AI platform for autonomous trucking. An additional $250M in milestone-based capital comes via a new partnership with Uber to deploy around 25,000 Waabi Driver–powered robotaxis exclusively on the Uber platform over time. Waabi’s simulation-first, “one shared brain” architecture is designed to power both trucks and robotaxis, aiming to cut capital intensity while boosting fleet efficiency and sustainability.
01/29/2026
Uber Eyes “Multi-Trillion Dollar Opportunity” in Autonomous Vehicles
Uber Technologies is doubling down on autonomy and AI to unlock what it calls a multi-trillion-dollar AV opportunity. In Q4 2025, Uber delivered 3.8B trips (+22% YoY), with 200M+ monthly active users completing 40M+ trips daily. Gross bookings hit $54B (+22%), revenue reached $14B (+20%), and 2025 marked its fifth straight year of 20%+ bookings growth. AI is now core to its scale strategy: Uber is piloting first-party AI agents, including a driver assistant, deploying consumer-facing AI tools, and integrating with ChatGPT to enable ride discovery inside LLM interfaces. Combined with robotaxi partnerships (Lucid, Nuro, WeRide), Uber is rapidly evolving into an AI-powered global mobility infrastructure layer—highly relevant for travel and hospitality ecosystems.
02/04/2026
Tesla to build 1M Optimus robots per year at Fremont factory, Musk says
Tesla is transforming part of its Fremont factory into a hub capable of mass-producing up to 1M Optimus humanoid robots per year, starting with the third-generation model – Optimus 3 – due in a few months. “Optimus 3 will be a general purpose robot that can learn by observing human behavior,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk. “You can demonstrate a task, verbally describe a task … even show it a video and it will be able to do that task. It’s going to be a very capable robot.” Current prototypes already handle household chores (sorting items, watering plants, feeding pets), cleaning (sweeping, vacuuming, wiping), manual handling and lifting, interaction tasks like opening doors and cabinets, and factory work such as component assembly.
01/30/2026
Society Pass, NusaTrip and Gother Establish Strategic Partnership to Enhance Flight Distribution in Projected US$84B Thailand Travel Market
Society Pass Inc (Nasdaq: SOPA) and majority-owned NusaTrip Inc (Nasdaq: NUTR) have partnered with Thailand-based OTA Gother to expand flight content distribution across Thailand and Southeast Asia, strengthening NusaTrip’s role as a regional flight content hub. The Thailand tourism market is projected to reach $84.1B by 2034, up from $61.4B in 2024, at a 3.2% CAGR from 2025–2034. NusaTrip’s platform aggregates over 500 airlines and 650,000 hotels worldwide and completed its Nasdaq IPO in August 2025.
01/30/2026
Space Tourism: A $19.12B Market by 2032
According to Stratview Research, the global space tourism market is forecast to grow from $1.05B in 2024 to $19.12B by 2032, reflecting a 43.6% CAGR and rapid acceleration in demand. The study covers orbital and sub-orbital leisure, adventure, and research trips, with orbital missions expected to grow fastest as technology improves and longer stays become viable. Growth drivers include experiential travel trends, social media visibility, high-net-worth demand, private investment, and public‑private partnerships, with North America leading thanks to its mature aerospace ecosystem and major players such as Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and SpaceX.
02/12/2026
Home-swapping Network Kindred Lands $125M
Members-only home-swapping network Kindred has raised $125M to scale its growth, including a $40M Series B co-led by NEA and Figma CEO Dylan Field, and an $85M Series C led by Index Ventures. The company previously raised $15M in Series A funding in 2023 and nearly $8M in seed funding the year before. Founded in 2021, Kindred now counts 300,000 members. As peer-to-peer home swapping emerges as a mainstream “third option” alongside hotels and short-term rentals, Kindred’s non-commercial model focuses on primary residences and credit-based swaps, with no money exchanged between hosts and guests. The new capital will fund product innovation, trust and safety, and more interconnected sub-communities that enable swapping within trusted networks and friends-of-friends.
02/03/2026
Naboo Raises $70M to Transform AI Events Procurement
Naboo, a Paris-based event tech company, raised $70M in Series B funding from Lightspeed Venture Partners. They plan to change the way big companies use AI to plan, book, and run corporate events. Launched in 2022, Naboo hasn’t wasted any time. They have made a name for themselves as pioneers in the industry, offering what they call an all-in-one platform for managing meetings, business travel, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE).
02/10/2026
IXIGO Eyes Global Expansion, Acquires Majority Stake in Trenes for $14.2M
India-based online travel platform Ixigo has acquired a 60% stake in Online Travel Solutions, which operates Spain-based online rail and bus ticketing platform Trenes.com, for almost €12M (about $14.2M). The move extends Ixigo into Europe beyond its core Indian market and follows its public listing in India in 2024. Trenes.com is integrated with major Spanish and European rail operators, carrying 549M passengers in 2024 and generating roughly €5.5M (about $6.5M) in revenue in 2025. Ixigo raised $146M from Prosus in October 2024, with about $36.5M earmarked for inorganic growth, and adds this deal to its 2021 acquisitions of train booking app Confirmtkt and bus operator Abhibus.
02/13/2026
Loop AI Raises $14M in Series A
Loop AI, a San Francisco, CA–based AI-powered back-office automation platform for restaurants and retail, has raised $14M in Series A funding. Nyca Partners is a vertically focused firm that invests exclusively in financial technology. Founded in 2014, the firm aims to “bridge the gap” between traditional financial institutions and startup founders, leveraging technology to transform the global financial system. With approximately $870M in assets under management, Nyca has invested in over 100 companies.
02/03/2026
TripWorks Lands $6M, Plans AI Development
TripWorks, a U.S.-based booking and automation platform for tours and activities, has raised a $6 million Series A led by Spring Mountain Capital. Founded in 2019, the company will use the funding to expand its AI- and BI-driven pricing and revenue optimization tools, predictive demand and occupancy forecasting, real-time abandoned cart monitoring and OTA channel management. TripWorks also plans to grow its product, engineering and customer success teams and accelerate its vision of AI-powered, automated growth for experience operators.
01/27/2026
Vietnam’s online travel market set to double to $8B by 2030
According to the e-Conomy SEA report by Google, Vietnam’s digital economy was valued at $39B in 2025 and is set to more than double to $80B by 2030. Online travel is expected to grow in tandem, doubling to $8B by 2030 from $4B in 2025. That growth is drawing everyone into the online race. Legacy tour operators are modernizing at speed, international online travel agencies (OTAs) are consolidating their hold, domestic platforms specializing in niche mobility and national-led superapps are quietly taking shape in the background.
02/06/2026
Snaptrip Group Expands Into Luxury Travel With Two Seven-Figure Acquisitions
Snaptrip Group is accelerating into luxury travel through a dual acquisition strategy, completing two seven-figure deals. The group acquired Staycato (bringing Simply Sea Views and Dog Friendly Retreats) and France-based My Design Events, which trades as My Boutique Hotel – unlocking access to boutique and luxury inventory, particularly in the U.S. Following its strongest financial year to date, Snaptrip reported record profits and significant revenue growth. Backed by an “AI-first” strategy across search visibility and platform infrastructure, the company is positioning itself at a high-intent moment in the booking funnel—capturing travelers actively choosing where to stay.
01/28/2026
Expedia Sees Double Digit Growth in Revenue, Gross Bookings as AI Push Continues
Artificial intelligence sits at the core of Expedia Group’s story, with CEO Ariane Gorin saying gen AI is changing trip discovery and “opens up new growth opportunities,” as the company works with major platforms, agentic browsers, and answer engines to capture demand and improve targeting and conversion. Expedia is also using AI to make marketing more “disciplined and data-driven”. This tech-led push supported Q4 revenue growth of 11% to $3.5B and total gross bookings up 11% to $27B, alongside a 32% rise in adjusted EBITDA to $848M.
02/12/2026
Canary Technologies acquires OpenKey to bolster its mobile key platform
Canary Technologies has acquired mobile key provider OpenKey to build upon its existing digital hotel room platform, according to a news release. Terms of the deal, which was finalized in January, per a Canary spokesperson, were undisclosed. This move expands Canary’s coverage to include additional door lock models and manufacturers, as well as widens its user base to encompass more global hoteliers.
02/04/2026
Google Testing Ad Formats for Travel in AI Mode
Google is piloting new ad formats for travel as search becomes a “more powerful tool for discovery.” Sharing a number of updates, Vidhya Srinivasan, Google’s VP and general manager of ads and commerce, said the company is “reinventing what an ad is” to “bridge inspiration and action.” Within AI Mode, for example, brands can fit naturally into conversational journeys, with clearly labeled sponsored units that surface relevant retailers, offers and loyalty value in the flow of planning, helping users move from ideas to bookings. Marriott is testing AI-driven ad experiences via ChatGPT’s new ad pilot, while Expedia Group is working closely with Google and others as they adapt their interfaces for these next-generation, AI-native ad formats.
02/13/2026
Marriott shares details of AI projects, partnerships
Based on a global survey of senior travel executives, Phocuswright’s latest study, Budgets, Barriers and the Race to Agentic AI, reveals that generative AI has claimed the top spot on the travel tech agenda. Cited by 28% of companies as their primary investment priority for the next 18 months, AI has surpassed all other categories. While adoption is widespread – with 83% of travel firms currently utilizing the technology – most deployments remain tactical, typically accounting for less than 10% of total tech budgets. While 88% of travel leaders report a positive business impact, the report highlights a critical readiness gap: very few feel fully prepared for full-scale implementation. As the industry moves toward 2026, the competitive divide will be defined by those who can bridge integration and talent gaps to transition AI from an experimental project into core travel infrastructure
02/11/2026
Accor Introduces ALL Accor Booking App Within ChatGPT To Simplify Hotel Reservations For Tourists
Accor Hospitality Corporation has introduced its ALL Accor booking application through ChatGPT which serves as a revolutionary solution for hotel reservation systems. The system enables users to find hotels through its search function while making it easy to compare prices and finish their reservations through the ChatGPT platform. The new system will improve customer satisfaction by providing users with an AI-powered hotel search experience which works without interruptions.
02/02/2026
Kasa takes over Mint House properties to expand accommodation platform
Kasa, a property management company combining hotels and apartment accommodations, is taking over Mint House properties across the U.S. as part of a strategic combination. Commercial terms have not been disclosed, but in addition to expanding Kasa’s portfolio, the deal creates scale and cost efficiencies for the company. Mint House has almost 1,000 units in destinations including New York City, Washington D.C., Dallas and Tampa. We expect our combined scale to deliver meaningful operating efficiencies and stronger commercial outcomes for owners.
01/14/2026
DirectBooking, DeepYou partner to build AI-native hotel booking platform
Hong Kong-based DirectBooking Technology has joined forces with DeepYou Digital Technology to build an AI-native hotel booking platform. “Through technological innovation, the partners aim to reshape the travel and hospitality ecosystem and inject new momentum into the industry’s high-quality development,” the companies said. DirectBooking and DeepYou will form a joint venture company to build the AI- powered platform, offering services such as natural language interaction, intelligent recommendations, real-time room-status information, automated services, dynamic pricing and demand forecasting.
02/11/2026
Indicio launches tech allowing AI agents to verify digital passports
Decentralized identity company Indicio has announced its “Indicio Proven AI for Digital Travel” technology will allow AI agents to authenticate traveler identities via digital passports. With the feature, AI agents, chatbots and copilots can now ask travelers for these credentials in a chat and “cryptographically” verify identifying information before proceeding with request. The digital passports, which Indicio calls Digital Travel Credentials (DTC), are stored in travelers’ digital wallets.
02/11/2026
Flexkeeping Launches New Analytics Dashboard to Bring Clarity to Housekeeping Performance
Flexkeeping, a Mews company, has launched a new and improved Analytics Dashboard, designed to give hotel teams a clearer, more accurate view of housekeeping performance. The dashboard turns complex, high-volume housekeeping activity into actionable insights. The dashboard now captures housekeeping data in full detail, tracking every cleaning action, inspection, and correction. Cleanings and inspections are reported separately, all cleaning types are supported, and guest context (such as do not disturb or eco-stays) is included to ensure performance data is viewed accurately.
02/10/2026
Tambourine Launches Reserv Analytics: Real-Time Reporting Dashboard for Reserv Booking Engine Customers
Reserv by Tambourine, a hotel booking engine trusted by properties worldwide, announced the launch of Reserv Analytics, a new AI-enabled, real-time reporting dashboard for its booking engine partners. The Reserv Analytics upgrade replaces static reports with an interactive, 24/7 dashboard that empowers hoteliers to make faster, smarter, and more informed decisions. Reserv Analytics gives hoteliers a comprehensive view of their performance across every channel.
02/10/2026
myRiva Partners with Mesh Payments to Revolutionize Travel Booking
In a groundbreaking move for business travel, myRiva, the patented AI-driven travel marketplace, has announced a strategic partnership with Mesh Payments. This collaboration aims to streamline the entire travel experience for organizations, combining travel booking and expense management into a single, integrated workflow. The collaboration directly connects myRiva’s expansive travel marketplace with Mesh’s robust expense management platform, bringing efficiency to corporate travel operations.
02/05/2026
Omniboost Launches Full Revenue Push Functionality for Toast POS to Mews PMS Integration
Omniboost, a leader in hospitality data unification and automation, has announced a major enhancement to the Toast POS to Mews PMS integration powered by Omniboost: Full Revenue Push functionality – enabling Toast to provide a full, itemized revenue push directly into Mews. This capability enables hotels and restaurants to unify all outlet transactions into a single, reliable source of truth. Powering hotel restaurant outlets across North America, this integration now delivers financial visibility and full synchronization of F&B operations within hotel environments - available seamlessly through the Omniboost platform.
02/03/2026
Resta IRIS partnership with Mandarin Oriental delivers 54% growth in mobile ordering, enhancing the guest experience
IRIS, a global market leader in digital F&B and guest experience solutions for hotels, has announced outstanding year-on-year growth with Mandarin Oriental, one of the world’s most luxurious hotel operators. Over the past year, Mandarin Oriental saw F&B room service revenue increase by 54% and orders grow by 39% through the IRIS platform, highlighting the power of digital innovation in elevating luxury dining experiences.
02/10/2026
Restaurants Are Becoming the First AI-Run Main Street Businesses
Artificial intelligence has largely been a white-collar story. It drafts emails, summarizes meetings, and crunches spreadsheets. But the first place on Main Street where AI is actively running day-to-day operations is becoming clear. It’s restaurants. Across thousands of locations using restaurant technology company Lavu, an AI platform called Marty is already helping operators manage labor, flag fraud, reduce waste, and prioritize what to fix each day. Instead of simply reporting what happened, the system actively guides what to do next — before margins slip.
02/11/2026