Naboo, the Paris-based event-tech startup, has raised €20 million in a Series A funding round led by Notion Capital, marking the largest funding in its sector.
This investment highlights the growing demand for Naboo’s event concierge service, which manages events for 10% of the companies listed on the French stock market (CAC 40).
Maxime Eduardo, Co-founder and CEO of Naboo, noted: “What we’d predicted came true. There’s been an explosion of team-building activities and in-person events due to the rise of remote work. It’s all about fostering social interaction, creating a feeling of belonging, engenders employee loyalty and commitment.”
Founded in 2022 in France by tech entrepreneurs Maxime Eduardo and Antoine Servant, along with former Oliver Wyman FS consultants, Naboo has quickly grown within the corporate events industry. Its AI-powered backend improves service efficiency while enhancing the personalized experience that distinguishes it from competitors.
Naboo’s platform streamlines event planning, handling everything from venue selection and catering to transportation and team-building activities. Unlike traditional concierge models, the company claims that it combines AI-driven automation with premium service to eliminate administrative tasks, allowing its team to focus on delivering a customized, top-tier experience.
The startup has secured ten contracts with EU-listed companies, each valued between €1–10 million annually, including three contracts worth over €10 million. Naboo has also collaborated with prominent corporations like Google, Société Générale, Veolia, Arkema, and Thales, as well as scale-ups such as Qonto.
Itxaso del Palacio, General Partner at Notion Capital, said: “The event organization space is ripe for disruption. Despite corporations increasing their event budgets, the sector remains anchored in outdated concierge models and software that hasn’t evolved in decades. Naboois redefining this landscape by introducing automation that streamlines event planning while elevating the experience for organizers and attendees. By prioritizing financial transparency and compliance, Naboo is not just making event management easier—it’s setting a new standard for the industry.”
After its second funding round in 2023, the company invested in AI and data processes to enhance its concierge service, improving cost efficiency, transparency, and sustainability.
This latest funding will support Naboo’s expansion into the UK market in 2025, following its entry in Q4 2024. The company also plans to expand further into Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Italy, strengthening its position as a pan-European corporate event solution.
Fred Viet, Chief Sales Officer of Aircall, shared his experience using the platform: “At Aircall, we needed a global solution to support us in organizing our events in a simple, effortless and local way. Being in New York City, it is very comfortable to use Naboo to organize my events anywhere in Europe.”
Naboo also creates a centralized software suite to assist CFOs and procurement directors in managing their Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) budgets. The platform combines spend tracking, policy compliance, invoicing, and automated payment processing, offering detailed control over corporate event spending.
Furthermore, Naboo’s carbon tracking tools will help companies comply with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), an increasing priority for European businesses.
Laure Pechalmbec, Purchasing Category Manager, Marketing and Communication, Europe, at Arkema, said: “As a procurement director, I recognize that MICE represent a uniquely challenging category in procurement. The spending is often dispersed across various departments within an organization, categorized inconsistently as overhead, travel, or event expenses. This fragmentation makes achieving a consolidated and centralized view of MICE expenditure difficult. […] Given its growing significance, the need to control and optimize this spending has never been more critical. With advanced tools like Naboo, we gain the visibility and control required to steer this category effectively. The impact is profound- enabling us to unlock savings of millions of euros annually globally.”
Sustainability is a core aspect of Naboo’s vision. Inspired by the lush planet Naboo from Star Wars, the company’s name symbolizes its dedication to reducing carbon emissions by offering localized event options that reduce the need for international travel.
Maxime added: “Carbon reduction is key to what we do. We cater to a huge demand for countryside retreats near major corporate hubs, reducing international travel. Star Wars’ Naboo represents the only planet in the future we want to live in. We are about experience and travel, and our clients want to protect and enjoy the natural beauty of Earth. Additionally, our AI-powered backend enhances the personal service and human experience we can provide.”
The company raised its first funding round in April 2022 to develop the platform, followed by a second round in November 2023, bringing its annualized gross booking volume to nearly €15 million.
In 2024, Naboo’s booking volumes surged nearly fourfold to €60 million, following a €7.5 million raise in February 2024 and a €20 million round just 11 months later. The startup aims to surpass €100 million in booking volumes by 2025, supported by its full-year presence in the UK and further European expansion.
The recent acquisition of Bizmeeting highlights Naboo’s interest in M&A-driven growth, with additional acquisitions potentially speeding up its progress. As corporate event spending increases, Naboo is well-positioned to challenge fragmented domestic booking platforms with a unified, tech-enabled solution for enterprises across Europe.
