Naboo, the Paris-based event-tech startup, has raised €20 million in a Series A funding round led by Notion Capital, reportedly marking the highest funding figure in its sector to date.
This latest investment underscores the surging demand for Naboo’s event concierge service, which already handles events for 10% of the French stock market (CAC) 40-listed companies.
Maxime Eduardo, Co-founder and CEO of Naboo, noted: “What we’d predicted came true. There’s been an explosion of team-building activities and in-person events due to the rise of remote work. It’s all about fostering social interaction, creating a feeling of belonging, which engenders employee loyalty and commitment.”
Founded in 2022 in France by Maxime Eduardo and Antoine Servant, two serial tech entrepreneurs and two former Oliver Wyman FS consultants, Naboo has rapidly expanded its presence in the corporate events space. Its AI-powered backend enables more efficient service delivery while enhancing the bespoke experience that looks to set it apart.
Naboo’s platform offers an event-planning experience, covering everything from venue booking, catering, and transportation to team-building activities. According to Naboo, unlike outdated concierge models, they integrate AI-driven automation with high-touch service to remove administrative burdens, allowing its team to focus on delivering a tailored, high-end experience.
The startup has secured ten contracts with EU-listed companies valued between €1–10 million per year, including three contracts exceeding €10 million annually. They have also worked with major corporations such as Google, Société Générale, Veolia, Arkema, Thales, and scale-ups like Qonto.
Itxaso del Palacio, General Partner at Notion Capital, said: “The event organisation space is ripe for disruption. Despite corporations increasing their event budgets, the sector remains anchored in outdated concierge models and software that hasn’t evolved in decades. Naboo is redefining this landscape by introducing automation that streamlines event planning while elevating the experience for organisers and attendees alike. By prioritising financial transparency and compliance, Naboo is not just making event management easier—it’s setting a new standard for the industry.”
Following its second funding round in 2023, the company invested in AI and data processes, refining its concierge service to optimise cost efficiency, transparency, and sustainability.
This latest funding round will fuel Naboo’s expansion into the UK market throughout 2025, following its Q4 2024 entry. The company is also planning further growth in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Italy, consolidating its position as a pan-European corporate event solution.
Fred Viet, Chief Sales Officer of Aircall, shared his experience using the platform: “At Aircall, we needed a global solution to support us in organising our events in a simple, effortless and local way. Being in New York City myself, it is very comfortable for me to use Naboo to organise my events anywhere in Europe.”
Naboo is also developing a centralised software suite to help CFOs and procurement directors oversee their Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) budgets. The platform integrates spend tracking, policy compliance, invoicing, and automated payment processing, delivering a detailed level of control over corporate event expenditures.
Additionally, Naboo’s carbon tracking tools will support companies in meeting the requirements of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), a growing priority for European corporations.
Laure Pechalmbec, Purchasing Category Manager, Marketing and Communication, Europe, at Arkema, said: “As a procurement director, I recognise that MICE represents a uniquely challenging category in procurement. The spending is often dispersed across various departments within an organisation, categorised inconsistently as overhead, travel, or event expenses. This fragmentation makes achieving a consolidated and centralised view of MICE expenditure exceptionally difficult. […] Given its growing significance, the need to control and optimise this spend has never been more critical. With advanced tools like Naboo, we gain the visibility and control required to steer this category effectively. The impact is profound- enabling us to unlock savings of millions of euros annually on a global scale.”
Sustainability also plays a key role in Naboo’s vision. The company’s name is inspired by the lush planet of Naboo from Star Wars, reflecting its commitment to reducing carbon emissions through localised event options that minimise international travel.
Maxime added: “Carbon reduction is key to what we do. We cater to a huge demand for countryside retreats near major corporate hubs- therefore reducing international travel. Star Wars’ Naboo represents the only planet in the future we want to live in. We are about experience and travel and our clients want to protect and enjoy the natural beauty of Earth. Additionally, our AI-powered back-end enhances the level of personal service and human experience we are able to provide.”
The company raised its first round in April 2022 to build the platform, followed by a November 2023 round, bringing its annualised gross booking volume close to €15 million.
In 2024, Naboo’s booking volumes nearly quadrupled to €60 million, with its €7.5 million raise in February 2024 followed by this €20 million round just 11 months later. The startup aims to exceed €100 million in booking volumes by 2025, supported by its full-year UK presence and further European expansion.
The recent acquisition of Bizmeeting indicates Naboo’s appetite for M&A-driven growth, with further acquisitions potentially accelerating its trajectory. As corporate event spending rises, Naboo is well-positioned to challenge fragmented domestic booking engines with a single, tech-enabled solution for enterprises across Europe.
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2025/01/star-wars-inspired-startup-naboo-secures-e20-million-to-transform-corporate-event-planning-with-unified-platform/
