Katherine Grass has left travel services provider Amadeus, having established its Amadeus Ventures unit, for a venture partner position at travel-focused venture capital firm Thayer Ventures.
Grass originally joined Amadeus in 2006 in a corporate strategy role before heading up its newly formed corporate venturing subsidiary, Amadeus Ventures, when it was formed in 2013. She was promoted to global head of innovation for the company the following year.
Amadeus Ventures invested in 10 companies under the leadership of Grass, exiting from Olset, a big data technology developer for the travel industry which was acquired by travel services firm Deem in late 2016, and Cabify, a ride hailing platform valued at $1.4bn as of January 2018.
Fourmed in 2012 by VC firm Quest Hospitality Ventures and investment holding company Thayer Lodging Group, Thayer Ventures concentrates on investments in the travel, hospitality and transportation sectors.
Part of the GCV Powerlist in 2017, Grass will be based in Madrid, Spain and will assist Thayer in expanding globally. She also founded a corporate innovation services business called Sharp Wire Partners as managing partner last month.
Grass said: “I am delighted to join Thayer Ventures to help investors profit from the huge opportunity in travel and transportation, which are among the most exciting industries worldwide.
“There are huge opportunities outside North America, as cities such as London, Amsterdam, Berlin, Madrid and Paris nurture dynamic start up ecosystems.”
– Photo courtesy of Thayer Ventures.