Vienna-based chatlyn, an AI communication hub transforming how hotels engage with guests, announced today it has secured €8 million in Series A funding to become “the AI brain for hotels” – an intelligent system that supports hotel operations (front desk, reservations, marketing, and guest services) and autonomously optimises guest communications to maximize revenue and satisfaction.
The round was led by Smedvig Ventures and included participation from AnyDesk business angel Andreas Burike, Austrian transport leader Blaguss, and strategic hospitality angels. The company also received an innovation grant from the FFG, Austria’s national funding institution for industry-related research and development.
“Every day, hotels are missing revenue because a guest inquiry comes in at 2 AM and gets lost in the shuffle, or a staff member can’t quickly find the right response in the right language. In today’s world, you lose potential guests when you don’t respond immediately,” said Nicolas Vorsteher, CEO and Co-founder of chatlyn.
“We want to bring back meaningful conversations to the hospitality industry and free up staff’s valuable time for in-person guest interactions. We’re building the AI brain for hotels – an AI that understands hospitality context, speaks 35+ languages fluently, and learns each property’s unique voice to deliver experiences that feel both personal and effortless,” he added.
Founded in 2022 by Nicolas Vorsteher (CEO), Michael Urbanek (CTO), and Matthias Haubner (CPO), chatlyn is an AI communication hub designed specifically for hospitality. The platform unifies guest communications across 10+ channels including email, WhatsApp, SMS, webchat, and social media while providing intelligent automation, real-time translation in 35+ languages, and property management system integration.
From boutique hotels to global chains, chatlyn aims to empower properties to deliver exceptional guest experiences while driving operational efficiency and revenue growth.
According to data provided by chatlyn, the global hotel industry loses an estimated €10 billion annually due to fragmented guest communication systems, missed booking opportunities, and inefficient staff workflows. Hotels today juggle 8-12 different platforms for guest messaging – from WhatsApp and email to booking channels, like Booking, and social media – creating chaos that frustrates both, guests expecting instant, personalised service and staff drowning in repetitive tasks.
“chatlyn has fundamentally transformed our guest experience from reactive to proactive,” said Garry Loefgen, Head of Commercial at InterContinental Vienna. “Our AI assistant handles over 70% of inquiries instantly in perfect German, English, Spanish, and many other languages, while our team focuses on creating magical moments. It’s like having a multilingual concierge that never sleeps and gets smarter every day.”
Since launching in late 2022, chatlyn has scaled to serve over 1,000 properties across 30 countries, including luxury brands like St. Regis Mauritius, Singer Palace Rome, and InterContinental properties.
The platform attributes its success to several innovations:
- AI-Powered Visual Webchat: A visual assistant that showcases rooms with live pricing and availability while guiding guests through complete conversational booking processes.
- 98% Open Rate Communication: chatlyn’s WhatsApp guest journey messaging reportedly achieves a 98% open rate compared to traditional email’s 20%.
- Comprehensive Channel Integration: chatlyn integrates with industry-specific channels like the Booking.com messenger alongside conventional channels like email, WhatsApp, SMS, social media platforms and many others.
- Comprehensive AI Assistant Suite: From voice calls to review responses, the platform handles every communication touchpoint, featuring real-time translation in 35+ languages, automated email drafting, and reply suggestions that maintain brand voice.
With deep integrations into 20+ major hotel management systems including Oracle Opera, Protel by Planet, Apaleo, and Mews, chatlyn aims to act as the central nervous system for hotel operations.
“The hospitality sector is experiencing its biggest technological transformation since online booking, and chatlyn has positioned itself at the epicenter of this AI revolution,” said Freddie Kalfayan, Principal at Smedvig Ventures. “Their rapid adoption by premium hotel brands, industry-first AI capabilities, and exceptional founding team convinced us they’re building the platform that will define the future of guest communication. The market opportunity is massive and underserved.”
The Series A funding will fuel chatlyn’s ambitious growth strategy across three key areas:
- Product Innovation: Accelerate development of agentic AI capabilities for phone support and launch the AI Booking Assistant that seamlessly integrates across any communication channel to capture more direct bookings.
- Geographic Expansion: Solidify market leadership in German-speaking regions while expanding across wider Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the UAE – markets where demand for multilingual AI communication is exploding.
- Team Expansion: Scale the existing AI and development team to serve customers not only as a software solution but as AI consultants, positioning chatlyn ahead of the intensifying competition for AI talent in the travel industry.
“This funding represents more than capital – it’s validation of our vision to make every hotel conversation intelligent and connected to relevant operational systems,” said Michael Urbanek, CTO and Co-founder. “Our AI doesn’t just automate responses; it understands context, anticipates needs, and creates those delightful moments that turn first-time guests into lifelong advocates.”
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2025/06/austrian-traveltech-startup-chatlyn-raises-e8-million-to-develop-the-ai-brain-for-hotels/
