OPENAI

OpenAI Acquires AI Travel Agent Startup Odessia

Founded by Sonder creator Francis Davidson, Odessia has been acquired by OpenAI in an acqui-hire deal to drive future travel initiatives.

2026-11-10

OpenAI has officially acquired Odessia, an AI travel agent startup founded a year ago by Sonder creator Francis Davidson. Davidson has joined OpenAI to shape the future of AI-driven travel.

Backed by a $6 million pre-seed round led by Sequoia, Odessia orchestrated millions in early travel planning before shutting down its consumer-facing app. While OpenAI has not yet announced a standalone travel product, the lab maintains partnerships with major industry giants like Expedia and Booking.com.