Berlin’s Airalo Becomes Latest Tech Unicorn with $60 Million Series B Funding
Airalo, the Berlin-headquartered eSIM marketplace, has officially entered the unicorn club following a successful $60 million Series B funding round. The investment, which values the company at over $1 billion, reflects a growing global demand for digital-first, travel-friendly mobile connectivity solutions.
Founded in 2019 by Abraham Burak and Bahadir Ozdemir, Airalo provides eSIM access to travelers, allowing them to connect to local mobile networks in over 200 countries and regions without the need to purchase physical SIM cards. The company’s mobile app enables users to install, manage, and top-up data plans seamlessly, disrupting the traditional roaming and telecom space.
What is Airalo?
Airalo positions itself as the world’s first and largest eSIM store for travelers. An eSIM (embedded SIM) is a digital alternative to traditional SIM cards, offering more flexibility and ease of use. Users can access affordable local and regional data plans instantly without changing physical cards or engaging with telecom stores abroad.
The Airalo platform aggregates data plans from mobile network operators across the globe and presents them on a single, user-friendly marketplace. As global travel continues to rebound post-pandemic, Airalo’s value proposition has gained significant traction among frequent travelers, remote workers, and digital nomads.
Details of the Series B Funding Round
Airalo’s Series B round was led by e& Capital, the venture investment arm of UAE-based telecom giant e&, previously known as Etisalat Group. The round saw participation from a mix of new and existing investors, including:
- Antler Elevate
- Liberty Global Ventures
- Orange Ventures
- Singtel Innov8
- Rakuten Capital
- I2BF Global Ventures
- Shorooq Partners
- T.Capital (Telekom Malaysia’s investment fund)
The fresh capital will be utilized to scale Airalo’s global operations, deepen its carrier partnerships, and strengthen its technical infrastructure. The company also aims to expand its suite of products and services beyond just connectivity.
Airalo has now raised a total of approximately $87.3 million across all funding rounds, including previous investments from venture firms and strategic telecom players.
Global Expansion and Strategic Plans
With the new funding, Airalo plans to bolster its international team, improve the platform’s user experience, and introduce new B2B offerings through “Airalo Partners,” an initiative aimed at integrating eSIM solutions with travel, fintech, and telecom platforms.
The startup also plans to tap into emerging markets in Asia, Africa, and Latin America where mobile adoption is growing rapidly. Strategic alignment with telecom partners like e&, Singtel, and Orange provides Airalo with direct access to network infrastructure and distribution pipelines across multiple continents.
Airalo’s leadership emphasized its commitment to building a “borderless mobile internet experience.” CEO and co-founder Bahadir Ozdemir highlighted that the funding is not just a financial milestone but a validation of Airalo’s mission to make mobile connectivity universally accessible.
Industry Context: eSIM Market and Travel-Tech Convergence
The global eSIM market is projected to reach over $16 billion by 2027, driven by increased adoption in smartphones, wearables, and IoT devices. Major telecom providers and device manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung, and Google have been instrumental in accelerating eSIM integration.
At the same time, the travel-tech sector is witnessing a transformation, with digital solutions aimed at providing convenience and transparency to global consumers. Airalo sits at the intersection of these two growth sectors.
Traditional roaming services continue to face criticism for lack of pricing transparency and high costs. Airalo offers a compelling alternative by offering localized plans at competitive rates with an easy onboarding process.
Competitive Landscape and Market Positioning
Airalo competes with players like Holafly, GigSky, and Nomad, all of whom are building solutions in the eSIM travel segment. However, Airalo’s marketplace model, broad carrier partnerships, and focus on affordability and accessibility give it a competitive edge.
Its intuitive app interface, multilingual support, and availability in over 50 app stores globally make it a go-to choice for many international travelers.
The company also boasts strong retention and growth metrics, with millions of users across 190+ countries.
Airalo’s unicorn status is not just a valuation headline it signals the rise of eSIM as a mainstream solution for global connectivity. The company’s success story also highlights Berlin’s growing reputation as a hub for innovative tech startups solving real-world problems.
With substantial backing from telecom heavyweights and a clear roadmap toward global scalability, Airalo is well-positioned to define the future of mobile connectivity in a borderless, digital-first world.
