Alaska Airlines and UP.Labs launch Odysee, an AI-enabled startup taking a new approach to schedule optimization

Alaska Airlines and UP.Labs have introduced their first startup, Odysee, at the UP.Summit. The venture aims to solve core strategic challenges for the aviation industry through innovative solutions.

Odysee is an innovative, new flight schedule optimization software platform that leverages AI and big data to optimize asset configuration for the airline industry and other logistics operators.

One year after announcing their partnership to solve business challenges through innovation, Alaska Airlines and UP.Labs, have officially announced their first new startup, Odysee, at the UP.Summit.

Odysee, which launched with $5M in seed funding led by UP.Partners, is focused on lending powerful AI and computing power to inform real-time tradeoff decisions in planning for and managing operational logistics, starting with scheduling. The platform will ensure the best use of each aircraft asset and the interconnections between them, empowering teams to more effectively optimize one of the most complex areas of an airline’s business.

This AI-powered flight schedule optimization solution marks a significant milestone in the journey that began at last year’s UP.Summit. Last year, we announced our partnership and set a vision to solve core strategic challenges for the aviation industry with new companies that help unlock the future in transportation and mobility.

What sets Odysee apart is its ability to help airline schedulers assess the various tradeoffs that come with certain schedule changes, allowing them to make more informed choices in building comprehensive flight schedules. Our team is excited about the power and efficiency this technology will provide to Alaska Airlines and all future customers and the opportunity to continue building out its functionality.”

– Steve Casley

Odysee Chief Executive Officer

AI-powered flight schedule optimization:

Rapid Insights:

Odysee utilizes an operations research-led approach to build flight schedules and rapidly quantify the impacts of schedule changes on revenue, profitability and reliability.

Enhanced Simulations in Seconds:

The platform can run hundreds of simulations within seconds to provide accurate flight-level insights to stress-test a future schedule.

Beyond Human Limits:

This tool can assess more options and evaluate more variables than the human brain – giving teams the opportunity to make more informed decisions.

As CEO and a former COO, I know that configuring an airline to use each airplane optimally is a key lever for operational reliability, a remarkable travel experience for our guests, and maximizing revenue. I am thrilled that Odysee, the first company launched through our partnership with UP.Labs, leverages artificial intelligence to help our teams put our airplanes in the right place, at the right time.

– Ben Minicucci
CEO of Alaska Airlines

The partnership between UP.Labs and Alaska Airlines was established as part of Alaska Star Ventures, Alaska Airlines’ investment arm and is aligned with Alaska’s commitment to innovation and sustainability. Over the next three years, the partnership will launch additional startups focused on solving key challenges in aviation and mobility.

UP.Labs is a venture lab and a core part of the UP.Partners ecosystem, which also includes mobility investment fund UP.Ventures and the UP.Summit, an invite-only mobility event that brings together 300 of the world’s most innovative minds rethinking the future of transportation.

 

The launch of Odysee marks an exciting milestone, uniting the strengths of UP.Labs and Alaska Airlines to create a startup that revolutionizes how flight schedules are built, analyzed and optimized. By combining our expertise and shared vision, we’re paving the way for new opportunities, driving growth, and setting a new standard in our industry.

– John Kuolt
Founder and CEO of UP.Labs