Gareth Williams

Gareth Williams is a highly respected angel investor, best known as the co-founder and former CEO of Skyscanner Limited. He spearheaded the travel search engine's growth from its inception in 2001, guiding it through a period of rapid expansion before its acquisition by Trip.com Group (formerly Ctrip) in 2016 for approximately $1.5 billion. Having successfully scaled a global technology company that began with just $6 million in primary capital, Williams brings invaluable operational experience and strategic insight to his portfolio companies. He transitioned from his CEO role in 2018 and served as Chairman until January 2020, subsequently dedicating more time to advising and investing in promising early-stage ventures.

As an active angel investor, Williams primarily focuses on seed-stage companies, leveraging his deep understanding of technology, product development, and market scaling. His portfolio reflects a diverse interest across sectors, including B2B SaaS, fintech, and consumer technology, often with a strong emphasis on companies emerging from the Scottish tech ecosystem. Notable investments include digital compliance platform Amiqus, ethical search engine Mojeek, and fintech startup Zumo, among others. He has publicly backed over a dozen companies, demonstrating a consistent commitment to fostering innovation and supporting entrepreneurial talent.

Williams is known for being a hands-on investor, offering more than just capital. Founders benefit from his extensive experience in building and scaling a global enterprise, navigating complex market dynamics, and developing robust business models. He is particularly drawn to companies with strong product-market fit potential and founders who exhibit resilience and a clear vision. His investment philosophy appears centered on backing disruptive technologies and impactful solutions that can achieve significant scale, much like Skyscanner itself.