Skyscanner ‘considering sale or IPO’ – report

Skyscanner's Gareth Williams

Edinburgh-based online travel search company Skyscanner is exploring “strategic options” including a possible sale of the firm, an initial public offering (IPO) or more fundraising, according to a Bloomberg report.

Skyscanner is one of just a few Scotland-based so-called unicorns — startup firms with a market valuation of at least $1 billion.

The company was valued at more than £1 billion by investors after a financing round in January, according to documents filed with Companies House, Bloomberg reported.

Skyscanner said that the company would not comment on rumors and speculation.

Skyscanner’s investors include Scottish Equity Partners, Silicon Valley venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, Artemis, Baillie Gifford, Vitruvian Partners, Yahoo Japan Corp. and Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund.

Stuart Paterson, partner at Scottish Equity Partners, told Business Insider in January that Skyscanner was aiming for an IPO in 2017.