Stephan Ekbergh

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stephan F. Ekbergh, (born 25 January 1960, Malmö, Sweden), is a maverick Swedish entrepreneur, best known for his pioneering work in the online travel industry, and for his Travelstart brand, one of biggest online travel agencies in Scandinavia.

[edit] Life and career

At age 18, Ekbergh left school to start his first business, hiring out DJs and promoting Rock music clubs in Malmö, Sweden He had music as his main source of income up until 1988. Ekbergh soon ventured out in various industries ranging from videostores to second hand clothes to sales of used industrial equpiments to the middle east. In 1989 Ekbergh started his first Travel venture, International Tours, the company redefined sales of consolidator tickets to the travel trade in the Scandinavian market. The company was later sold to a real estate group. Ekbergh also founded Scandinavia first luxury travel company in 1991 to capitalize on the growing interest in tourism to Southern Africa. Ekbergh also pioneered charter travel for ethnic groups from Scandinavia going to Iran, also in 1991. Travelstart which was founded in 1999 came out of a start up "Final call" a start up flop that was launched in 1995 to capitalize on the growing interest in accessing information via payphone numbers

[edit] Business exploits

In 1995, Ekbergh started a fully-automated, telephone-based travel booking company called Sistaminutenplatser. The system utilised a tone-dialling (DTMF) menu system that was unique at the time.

After the launch of version 1.0 of Netscape Navigator at the beginning of 1995, Ekbergh quickly realised that all travel would be for sale on the internet. In 1998 Ekbergh launched Sweden's first online travel agency, Mr. Jet.

After being fired from Mr. Jet just a year after he founded it, Ekbergh set up Travelstart in 1999. Shortly afterwards, he sold his interests in Travelstart for a reported $9.8M.

Ekbergh bought back Travelstart in 2001 after the internet bubble burst.

Travelstart today is one of the few privately held online travel companies in Europe.

Ekbergh has over the past years been active in expanding his business organically and through acquisitions. Stephan acquired around 60% of Openjet.com one of the worlds first travel websites allowing people to search and book for low cost airline flights in 2004; some 40% of this Irish company is still owned by its founder Pat O'Shea, of Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland- who founded the Company in 2002. Stephan also acquired Luftgrop Scandinavias first travel comparison shopping agent.

After relocating to Cape Town in late 2004, Ekbergh formed a small design consultancy with Damian Stephens called Irrational Studios. The company was formed in order to oversee the re-branding of Travelstart internationally, and the development of the brand in South Africa. The South African branch of Travelstart was launched in August 2006

In 2006 Ekbergh's Group also acquired Scandinavia's online hangout for vivid travellers Backpacking.