The story of SKYSCANNER: from startup to a $1.75 billion sale

This is probably Scotland’s greatest ever technology story. How do you take a software app (for booking flights) and turn it from a startup to a $1.75 billion sale?

 

Shane Corstorphine played many C-suite roles at Skyscanner, including CFO, and explains clearly how they did it. Some of the lessons are not what you expect.

 

At the end in the section called ‘Ian and Chris’s Takeaway’, the hosts discuss the key lessons to learn from this remarkable interview.

 

Shane explains:

 

▪️ The type of leadership team you will need

▪️ How employee share ownership can play a part

▪️ How you tackle international expansion on an incredibly rapid scale

▪️ How they attracted the greatest ever investor name from Silicon Valley - Sequoia

▪️ At the time this was the largest fundraise by a privately-owned UK tech company in history – but the record only lasted weeks

 

00:00 Welcome & hosts intro

00:01:07 Guest background: startup → banker; execution mindset

00:05:30 Joining early stage Skyscanner & founder vision

00:08:40 Execution v strategy; COO cadence & weekly reviews

00:11:00 Travel’s frequency problem & tracking PMF (product market fit) metrics (AARRR)

00:13:40 Sequoia joins: valuation, fundraising & dilution

00:16:30 Sponsor: NETS International

00:17:40 Equity that retains staff: options, buybacks & secondaries

00:23:08 Scale cultures: UK prudence vs US/China speed

00:28:45 Go to market playbook: test and learn

00:33:10 The exit (2016): sale process, buyer & lessons

00:36:00 Closing: What’s next and Key takeaways

 

Follow Shane Corstorphine:

 

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanecorstorphine/
• Blog – com/@shanecorstorphine/

 

Billionaire Business:

 

• Website: billionairebusiness.net
• Follow us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/billionaire-business-podcast/?viewAsMember=true

 

Buy the book “The Street-Smart MBA – Mastering Business Acumen Without Going to School” by Ian Fishwick

 

• HARDBACK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without/dp/B0FLD5Q8Z5/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title

 

• PAPERBACK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without/dp/B08735HP2W/ref=monarch_sidesheet_title

 

• KINDLE https://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Smart-MBA-Mastering-Business-Without-ebook/dp/B08738NVS8/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2VOX3UKOWGT6R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.jGqkZxFG3WEufxz7M-1iVgGElqr83rgD-VAM-9WLfXz4fii5xR10ZsWDNVlnOGAfLdZG4lksR0cCtaRyzjKlwxD8Gh4WKr2ZP8TuayLmYBiPqNWQi66IAM3QDfoxZeEa.ZUymM2LEtrzNGeYhyP9yoJQknWJe8w7LOx6GDaS6ano&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+street-smart+mba&qid=1755704706&sprefix=the+street-smart+mba%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-2

 

Sponsors for Series 1:

 

NETS International - https://nets-international.com