Self-acclaimed “every day super app”, Grab has deepened its partnership with and invested in Splyt Technologies – a London-based transportation solution.
Currently, Grab and Splyt already have an existing partnership that allows international travellers to book Grab rides across over 300 cities in eight Southeast Asian countries through their preferred apps. For example, Ctrip and AliPay customers visiting Southeast Asia can already take Grab rides through their own apps, via a solution powered and enabled by Splyt.
Splyt is also working with Booking Holdings to integrate ride-booking into their OTA platforms. Booking.com consumers will be able to book Grab rides through the Booking.com app by Q3 2019.
Targeted for completion next year, this second phase of the partnership will integrate Splyt and Grab’s global network of mobility partners into the Grab app. Grab users travelling beyond Southeast Asia can continue to book rides through the Grab app, and have them fulfilled by Splyt’s partners.
Travellers can use their app in their native language, and even pay in their home currency. Grab also plans to add features such as in-app travel tips, restaurant reviews and attraction recommendations, to offer an even richer travel experience to its users.
This will be particularly beneficial in South-east Asia, given its exceptionally high frequency of travel (receiving 130m international travellers per year – 155m by 2022).
From a traveller’s perspective, ride-hailing is still fairly fragmented as they often find themselves downloading local transport apps or resorting to conventional taxi-hailing. The collaboration is regarded as a step towards enabling travellers to book a ride through their app of choice, whenever needed.
“Our partnership with Grab is driven by a shared vision of offering seamless mobility that caters to demands and needs of global travellers. We’re excited to work with Grab, the leading ride-hailing provider in Southeast Asia, adding their diversified range of transport solutions and breadth of coverage to the global marketplace we are growing,” said Philipp Mintchin, Splyt CEO.
“This partnership will unlock a world of options for the increasingly well-travelled Southeast Asian, letting them roam easily across the world through an app they already know and trust. At the same time, we’re excited to enable more international travellers to explore… Southeast Asia through safe and efficient transport options” said Mark Porter, CTO, Grab.
Grab has also invested into Splyt, to help accelerate its expansion into new markets, improve its proprietary technology, and strengthen its wide network of institutional demand and supply partners for ground-based transportation.
The round is considered the largest Series A funding within the transportation connectivity platform segment, and brings the total raised by Splyt Technologies to over US$14 million. Mark Porter also joins Splyt’s Board of Directors. He lends his leadership in shaping Grab’s technology and strategy to Splyt’s 50-strong team.
Lead image: Getty Images
