Scottish Equity Partners (SEP) has invested £2.5 million first round funding in Skyscanner, which plans to develop its rapidly-growing air travel site into the world’s most comprehensive easy-to-use flight search engine.

Skyscanner, which was founded in 2003, has developed innovative search engine technology which already allows consumers to obtain instant online comparisons on fares from more than 180 airlines to more than 5,000 destinations.

It plans to become the first flight search engine to cover every scheduled flight, including budget and chartered airlines as well as major carriers. The website www.skyscanner.net, generates profits and attracts one million price enquiries a day.

Skyscanner already has commercial links with the majority of European airlines and is now targeting global coverage. The company is preparing for rapid growth as more routes are added to its database which displays search results in 20 languages.

Skyscanner Chief Executive Gareth Williams said: “We developed sophisticated search engine technology which is highly effective at helping consumers find bargains and airlines to sell tickets. It’s all about speed, coverage and usability. Skyscanner will become the first flight search engine in the world to show fares for every flight at the touch of a button.”

Stuart Paterson of SEP said: “Skyscanner has the potential to become a world leader in the travel sector which is one of the web’s hottest consumer transaction areas. The company has a talented management team, underpinned by smart technology and a highly scaleable business model.”

Skyscanner operates a flexible easy-to-use system, allowing users to browse information without having to specify their date of travel. It does not sell tickets but has direct links with airlines’ websites, removing the need to re-enter data.

The company was founded by Chief Executive Gareth Williams, Chief Technology Officer Bonamy Grimes, and Director of Business Development Barry Smith. It is headquartered in Edinburgh and also has staff in Poland.

Williams added: “Skyscanner is an industry leader when it comes to converting click-through site visits to airline ticket sales. That’s the key reason airlines want to work with us.”