Marta Pinho joined Amadeus Ventures, the corporate venture capital (CVC) arm of Spain-based travel software and technology services provider Amadeus IT Group, in October 2018 as an investment manager.
Amadeus formed the CVC unit in 2014 as a strategic vehicle to drive collaboration with the startup ecosystem in a bid to deliver next-generation technology that improves the travel experience of business and leisure travellers.
Amadeus Ventures has invested in 17 companies globally, having been an early investor in Cabify, the ride-hailing service that became Spain’s first unicorn; Yapta, the travel price-tracking software developer that was acquired by business expenditure management platform Coupa; among others.
Pinho said: “At Amadeus Ventures, I am responsible for the entire investment deal flow, from new investment opportunities research to portfolio management in the hospitality and payments areas. I work closely with the business units and we have developed a coordinated approach for their H2 and H3 strategy.
“Additionally, I have led several initiatives with the goal to improve Amadeus Ventures tools and processes, leveraging my previous experience in venture capital. I also represent Amadeus Ventures in external events, either as a speaker or jury member.”
Having previously worked at a financial VC firm, where Pinho invested in early-stage companies in areas such as digital, energy and life sciences, followed by an experience in a corporate mergers and acquisitions team, Amadeus’s travel industry-focused CVC unit was an enticing opportunity for her.
She explained: “On one side, it allows me to leverage my previous experience in VC, to find and close investments in innovative and growth areas while benefiting from the knowledge that Amadeus acquired through 30-plus years in the travel industry, as well as its extensive customer base, to provide startups with strategic value on top of funding. The fact that this CVC opportunity is in an industry I am truly passionate about, just made it even more irresistible.”
