WayBlazer, a travel search and discovery startup, received $5 million in Series A funding including an investment from IBM.
The Austin-based company uses cognitive computing to help consumers buy and book travel plans. Its discovery engine uses Watson technology to crunch massive amounts of data easily and tailor recommendations to each consumer.
Terry Jones, founder of Travelocity and founding chairman of Kayak, is chairman of the company. Felix Laboy is the CEO.
IBM’s investment in WayBlazer is part of IBM’S $100 investment fund earmarked for innovative business solutions that build on Watson. It also invested in Sellpoints, an ecommerce company based in California. It raised $7.5 million as part of a Series C funding round.
“WayBlazer and Sellpoints are terrific examples of how cognitive computing technology can be used to help organizations redefine customer engagement and drive much deeper, meaningful and relevant consumer experiences,” Stephen Gold, vice president, IBM Watson, said in a news release.
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