Takyon

About Takyon

Takyon is an Italian startup, founded in October 2022, that operates in the travel technology sector by transforming hotel and travel bookings into resellable digital assets through blockchain technology. The company was established by co-founders Antonio Picozzi (CEO), Niccolò Francesco Marino (CFO), Simona Graziani (CMO), and Vincenzo Bonaccorso (CTO). Picozzi, a Bocconi University graduate with prior experience at Amazon and Accenture, envisioned using blockchain to grant travelers ownership and flexibility over their bookings.

The core of Takyon's business is to address the inflexibility of non-refundable booking rates. The company introduces a "Resellable Rate," a prepaid, non-refundable option that customers can book directly on a hotel's website. If the customer's plans change, they can resell this booking on Takyon's marketplace. This is achieved by tokenizing the reservation into a digital good, or Non-Fungible Token (NFT), called a "Tak" on the Polygon blockchain. This process provides a secure and traceable method for transferring ownership of the booking. While built on Web3 technology, the platform offers a user-friendly Web 2.0 experience, allowing users to register and pay with standard credit cards without needing to understand the underlying blockchain mechanics.

Takyon's business model targets both B2B and B2C markets. For its B2B clients, which include hotels and booking providers, Takyon helps increase direct bookings and offers a competitive differentiator against online travel agencies. As of mid-2024, the company was working with over 600 partners, including independent hotels and major chains like Best Western. Hotels that partner with Takyon receive a 5% royalty when a reservation is resold through the marketplace. For B2C users, the platform creates a secondary market where they can purchase bookings from other travelers or sell their own, with the seller setting the price. Takyon has expanded its service from hotel stays to include travel experiences, such as gondola rides in Venice, with plans to enter the transportation, cruise, and event ticketing industries.