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Advance Capital is pleased to announce the sale of Academ-Online, a leading B2B travel platform in Russia and the CIS, to Yandex.

Academ-Online is a leading independent player in the corporate travel market in Russia and the CIS, specializing in online hotel bookings for corporate clients. The company operates its own proprietary digital platform, enabling bookings both through direct contracts with hotels and via integrations with international aggregators. Its inventory includes approximately 7,500 accommodation facilities, covering more than 50% of all 4- and 5-star hotels in Russia.

The launch of a business travel vertical within Yandex Travel will allow hoteliers and apartment owners to attract guests year-round, including international travelers using Academ-Online’s partner network. Corporate clients will gain access to a wide range of accommodation options, including apartments, which are often preferred by small and medium-sized businesses.

Evgeny Abramzon, Head of Yandex Travel:

“The Russian business travel market continues to demonstrate strong and sustainable growth. According to the Union of Business Travel Agencies, in 2024 the market exceeded RUB 1 trillion in volume, growing by 27% year-on-year. By combining the expertise of Academ-Online with the technology of Yandex Travel, we will be able to offer hoteliers and agencies convenient booking tools, and companies sending employees on business trips — a broad selection of accommodation options.”

Alexander Kurnosov, Head of Academ-Online:

“Since the company’s founding, our goal has been to make business travel organization convenient for companies of any size. Now, together with a leading Russian technology company, we will be able to take online hotel booking for business travel to a new level of quality.”

Artur Shubaev, Partner and Executive Director at Advance Capital:

“Academ-Online attracted significant interest from both strategic and financial investors, but Yandex proved to be the most synergistic partner. We see strong interest from ecosystem players in the travel tech market and expect the M&A wave in this segment to continue, including with the participation of our firm.”

Advance Capital acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Academ-Online.

The deal value is not disclosed.