Travel tech company Amadeus is acquiring biometric solutions specialist Vision-Box in a transaction worth around €320 million.
Amadeus said the deal marks an "important step towards fully integrated traveller journeys".
Headquartered in Lisbon, Vision-Box claims to have "redefined travel and border control globally" by creating a "connected digital world" between stakeholders including airports, airlines and border agencies.
Vision-Box had an estimated normalised EBITDA of close to €20 million in 2023 and is partially owned by Keensight Capital, a private equity fund dedicated to pan-European growth buyout investments.
Amadeus will be fully acquiring the company, subject to regulatory approvals, for the agreed price of approximately €320 million. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2024 and more than 450 Vision-Box employees will transfer to Amadeus.
Decius Valmorbida, president, travel, Amadeus, said: “Biometrics is a strategic and fast-growing industry, and Vision-Box’s capabilities will allow us to accelerate our growth in this area. With a portfolio which is deeply complementary to our existing offering for both airports and airlines, our combined best-in-class solutions will now deliver a seamless passenger journey from booking to boarding.
“This acceleration of our ecosystem approach will bring immediate and tangible benefits to our customers and travellers: it’s how travel works better.”
Biometric-enabled travel was one of the developments featured in BTN Europe's recently published 2024 Hotlist and the Biometrics Research Group estimates the global biometrics sector will grow in value to $86.1 billion by 2028 from its projected value in 2023 of $47.8 billion.