Criton Apps targets overseas contracts after securing £5million investment

Traveltech start-up Criton Apps has secured a £5million investment as it looks to expand overseas. Set up just under a year ago, Criton offers a self-build guest app service to hotels and serviced apartments. Its software moves all guest-facing information … Continue reading →

Traveltech start-up Criton Apps has secured a £5million investment as it looks to expand overseas.

Set up just under a year ago, Criton offers a self-build guest app service to hotels and serviced apartments.

Its software moves all guest-facing information from a hotel goes on to a white-labelled mobile app and combines destination guides, guest and property management information

Deals with affiliate technology companies, Loop and Bubbl, also mean that the Criton app’s functionality includes location based offers and promotions and in-stay or in-app messaging.

It has secured the funds from a private investor to accelerate the company’s growth after it grew on investment from a Scottish Enterprise grant and hopes to boost staff numbers from six to more than 30 within two years with new sales planned in London and the Middle East.

Its current clients include Edinburgh hotel The Chester Residence and serviced apartments The Knight Residence. Other clients are based in America, Australia, Portugal and Germany.

Julie Grieve, founder and CEO of Criton Apps, said: “We have achieved a lot in the first twelve months, both in customer sign-ups and awareness. Our app-builder offers independent hotels a guest facing technology which rivals anything offered by chains such as Hilton and Marriott and we are making an impact. This is a sector, however, where it is important to move fast and this investment will allow us to take Criton to the next level with more staff and an international sales team.

“We believe the future of travel and hospitality tech is on the guest’s own device, where they can use their own phone or tablet to check-in, access their room and operate in-room appliances using the power of the ‘Internet of Things’. In-room devices are used briefly, if at all, during the guest stay because they want to use their own device both in room and when out and about.  What’s more, our technology is available to independent hotels and small chains making it possible for them to offer guest facing technology that is world class.

“We now have the foundations and the funds in place to meet our growth ambitions. It is an exciting time.”

Criton currently operates out of UK technology incubator CodeBase in Edinburgh and The Traveltech Lab in London.

“As the hospitality sector looks to digitise the guest offering, we believe Criton will help operators do this without paying for expensive technology that does not give them full control over the content,” Grieve added.