Startup Spotlight #29: The Marketplace for Additional Revenue
Today's featured startup is helping make the travel industry vastly more integrated.
Project Overview
Meili is “rewriting the rules” for car rental services aimed at travelers. Traditionally, car rentals operate in one of three ways:
1. Travelers book a rental car as part of a pre-arranged tour package.
2. They research options and make a reservation in advance.
3. They wing it, renting a car on arrival after checking availability and pricing firsthand.
Meili combines the best aspects of these approaches to create a unique solution. Their platform is essentially a marketplace where travelers can quickly and easily find and compare reliable car rental options worldwide.
The standout feature of Meili’s platform is its seamless integration: with just one line of code, it can be embedded into websites or apps of airlines, travel agencies, hotels, vacation rental platforms, tour operators, and more. This allows customers to book car rentals alongside other travel-related services, such as flights, accommodations, or tours.
When a booking is completed, Meili and the integration partner (e.g., a travel agency or airline) share a portion of the commission.
This creates a win-win-win situation:
• Travelers get access to the best car rental options suited to their needs.
• Partners (airlines, travel agencies, etc.) gain an additional revenue stream from car rental bookings.
• Rental companies expand their sales channels while maintaining direct access to customers, unlike in traditional package deals.
Direct access also enables rental companies to upsell B2C services, such as premium insurance or GPS add-ons, increasing their revenue. Plus, they can cross-sell partner services if agreements are in place, tailoring offers to the customer’s profile.
Founded in Ireland in 2022, Meili recently raised €8.1 million, bringing its total funding to over €20 million.
What’s the Gist?
Meili is riding a huge wave: platforms designed for smooth, seamless cross-sales are reshaping how businesses work. These solutions make it easy for companies to tack on extra services — think car rentals or travel insurance — directly into their websites or apps. For travelers, it’s a game-changer. No more bouncing between sites or feeling stuck with overpriced bundles. Now, you pick what you actually need, all in one go.
Meili’s approach hits a sweet spot between personalization and convenience. Travelers book cars alongside flights or hotel stays, all with a couple of clicks. Meanwhile, airlines, travel agencies, and even Airbnb hosts enjoy a slice of the commission pie. It’s a win-win — happy customers and an effortless new revenue stream for businesses.
And Meili isn’t alone. Startups across travel and beyond are jumping on this trend, each with their spin. InHouse lets short-term rental hosts offer guests add-ons like tours, transfers, or restaurant bookings. InterLnkd sells travel must-haves — snorkels for the beach crowd, ski gear for winter adventurers — right on travel agency websites.
Then there’s Air Doctor, which connects travelers to local doctors in case of a health hiccup abroad. By embedding their marketplace into travel apps, they’re solving a major pain point and helping their partners cash in on commissions. Even Gigs, a platform that lets companies sell mobile data services under their own branding (and that we’ve already covered on Innovation Daily), found a foothold by catering to travelers needing roaming services.
These startups prove there’s a massive appetite for cross-sale platforms that are simple, practical, and laser-focused on customer experience. Whether it’s selling snorkels, doctor visits, or car rentals, these solutions are flipping the script on what it means to “sell more.”
Key Takeaways
Cross-sales are having a moment, and for a good reason. As it gets pricier to attract new customers, businesses are getting smart about earning more from the ones they already have. Platforms like Meili make it easy: they let companies embed extra services — like car rentals — into their existing sites and apps, creating new revenue streams without complicating life for anyone.
In travel, the idea feels like a no-brainer. From Meili’s global car rental marketplace to InHouse’s curated tours for short-term rentals, these platforms offer travelers convenience while helping businesses make more money. And let’s not forget Air Doctor, which makes finding medical help abroad as easy as booking a flight, or InterLnkd, which practically packs your suitcase for you based on your destination.
What’s really exciting? This isn’t just about travel. MealMe is teaming up with platforms like TripAdvisor to let users order takeout from nearby restaurants. Dealt is helping online stores sell installation services with their products. It’s all about figuring out what customers genuinely need and putting it right in front of them.
The big picture? These cross-sale platforms aren’t just add-ons — they’re a way to create value for everyone involved. For businesses, they unlock extra revenue without heavy lifting. For customers, they simplify life. And for the rest of us? Well, it’s just another reason to keep an eye on how innovation keeps making things a little bit easier.
Company info
Meili
Website: meili.travel
Last funding round: €8.1 million, 12.12.2024
Total funds raised: €20 million over 3 rounds