Johannes Reck

Invests in

AI & Machine LearningClimate TechCreator EconomyEnterprise SoftwareFuture of WorkMarketplacesMobility & TransportationTravel & Hospitality

Investments

Per curated public sources.

Network2

BI

Bo IlsoeScout

Managing Partner at NGP Capital

FD

Fritz DemopoulosScout

Investor at Beyond Ventures

Investors connected to Johannes in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.

Frequently asked questions

Who founded GetYourGuide?

The best-supported early student group is Johannes Reck, Tao Tao, Martin Sieber, Tobias Rein and Pascal Mathis. Current GetYourGuide pages often shorten the roster to the first four, while ETH-linked and Mathis first-person records include Mathis, who served as COO through 2013.

When was GetYourGuide founded?

The project began in 2008 and the Zurich legal predecessor was registered that February; the operating company's public history and Reck's CEO tenure use 2009, when the AG form and professional-marketplace phase took shape.

What does Johannes Reck do at GetYourGuide?

He is co-founder, CEO and GetYourGuide AG board chair, responsible for vision and strategy. Tao Tao leads operations and go-to-market as COO; Reck should not be credited alone for every product or operating milestone.

What did Johannes Reck study?

He earned bachelor's and master's degrees in biochemistry at ETH Zurich, completing the MSc with highest honors in January 2009 after research interests in learning, memory and the brain.

How did GetYourGuide find its business model?

Its student-to-student guide marketplace produced only five bookings in two years. A Swiss rafting operator's request to list professionally revealed the stronger supply opportunity, and the founders rebuilt around professional operators and transaction commissions.

Did GetYourGuide ever lay people off?

Yes. After the 2013 Series A, stage-mismatched hiring and excessive spending led to a restructuring that cut about 30% of a roughly 100-person team. During COVID-19, by contrast, Reck says the company avoided mass layoffs through short-time work and voluntary salary-for-equity arrangements.

How did GetYourGuide survive COVID-19?

Bookings fell nearly to zero. The company protected refunds, used German short-time work support, offered voluntary salary-for-shares, preserved product investment and raised a €114 million convertible note plus an €80 million credit facility.

Is GetYourGuide profitable?

The company says FY2025 revenue exceeded €1 billion, GMV exceeded €4 billion and adjusted EBITDA was positive; Bloomberg reported its first profitability. It remains private, and the reviewed public material is not a full audited filing.

What does Johannes Reck think about AI in travel?

He expects AI to make discovery personal, predictive and less visible by structuring fragmented inventory, but believes the value ultimately remains in human travel experiences. He expects broad ecosystem adoption to require five to ten years.

Does Johannes Reck invest personally?

Yes. Primary or strong deal sources document TravelPerk, Careship, Sharpist, Tacto, Cosuno, Passionfroot, RYDES, Langdock, Arbio and Proxima Fusion, while Dubsmash is self-profiled but lacks a verified round. These must not be confused with GetYourGuide's investors.

What check size does Johannes Reck write?

No first-person or primary source reviewed states a standard range. A directory repeats $5,000-$50,000, but that unverified estimate is not reliable enough to populate numeric fields.

Has Johannes Reck had a documented investment exit?

Careship was acquired from insolvency by INQbaker in 2022, and Dubsmash was acquired by Reddit, but no reviewed source establishes Reck's ownership or proceeds at either closing. A profitable personal exit is therefore not verified.

What outside boards has Johannes Reck served on?

Documented mandates include TravelPerk, Careship, Takeaway.com and the Axel Springer Plug and Play accelerator, alongside chairing GetYourGuide AG. Dubsmash is documented as an advisory relationship, not a verified statutory board seat.

What public personal background is verified?

Reck is Cologne-raised, married to Annika, a father of two and a long-distance runner. He turned 40 in January 2025. Exact birth date and a consistent authoritative birthplace were not found.