Shackle raises $5.5M to digitize the hotel guest experience

European travel tech startup Shackle has raised $5.5 million in seed funding to grow its hospitality solution. 

Frontline Ventures led the round, with participation from Chekout.com founder Guillaume Pousaz, Lime co-founder Brad Bao, Uber founding engineer Conrad Whelan and others.

Founded in 2020, Shackle aims to digitize the guest experience for hotels. Its technology plugs directly into a hotel’s current backend systems and brings them all together in its guest-facing app. 

For guests, at Shackle partner hotels they’re able to check in, enter their room, order food and beverage services and make payments all via Shackle’s app.  

Guests are notified to download the Shackle app within their emailed hotel confirmation, founder Mark Abraham says, and once their profile is set up it can be used at other Shackle properties.

For hotels, Shackle organizes data around guest behavior and needs within one system and gives properties the ability to build out guest profiles and ICPs.

The solution is designed to streamline hotel operations and encourage direct booking behavior. “Shackle repopulates all the data OTAs take that they don’t give back,” Abraham says, adding that the startup hopes to add a booking engine next year.

“Think of us as Uber for hotels,” he says. “I don’t think there’s any brand in the world that has built [customer] relationships by digitizing the stay experience.”

With the funding, Shackle plans to double its partner count, which currently stands at 150 and includes Accor, Imperial London and Lourve Hotels. The company also plans to add additional engineers to its roster.