OpenAI acquired Odessia, an AI travel agent startup founded by Sonder co-founder Francis Davidson. Davidson will join OpenAI to focus on the future of travel. Over the past summer, Odessia planned more than US$60 million in annual travel for early adopters.
Acquisition details
Odessia was founded less than a year ago. It thanked Sequoia, angel investors, and travel partners that backed it before launch. Davidson said the startup achieved its goal of shipping an AI travel agent.
Founder background
Davidson previously co-founded Sonder and led it from zero to US$600 million in revenue. That growth took a decade and more than a thousand employees. He started Odessia less than a year ago with a different, agent-first approach.
What Odessia built
Odessia built an AI travel agent that plans and books trips. Tens of thousands of early adopters used the product. The company also used internal agents for tasks such as strategy, design, and marketing.
Davidson said more details on the future shape will be shared soon. The announcement was made in November 2026. He joins OpenAI's team focused on the future of travel.