Busbud Expands Latin American Presence by Acquiring Brazil’s Buson

In the undisclosed cash-and-equity transaction, Busbud is acquiring Buson, thereby integrating Buson’s shareholders, including venture capital firm Kaszek, into Busbud’s investor base. This acquisition represents Busbud’s largest and most significant deal to date.

With the acquisition of Chile’s Recorrido in November, Busbud has expanded its network to include over 600 bus operator partnerships in Latin America and thousands more globally. This growth has also led to an increase in Busbud’s team size to 225 employees worldwide.

Founded in 2013 under the name Guiche Virtual, Buson has been serving as an online platform facilitating intercity bus travel bookings across Brazil. Beyond its booking services, the company also provides operator solutions, including e-commerce tools and inventory management software, aimed at streamlining the operations of bus operators. With the acquisition by Busbud, Buson continues its operations seamlessly, led by co-founder Thiago Carvalho. However, it now gains access to Busbud’s extensive global bus route inventory, enhancing its offerings and expanding its reach beyond Brazil. This strategic move allows Buson to tap into Busbud’s established presence in the international market while reinforcing its position as a leader in bus travel solutions within Brazil.

Carvalho expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, noting that joining forces with Busbud provides Buson with greater resources to fuel its expansion efforts. With Buson’s understanding of Brazilian travel preferences and behaviors, Busbud aims to capitalize on this expertise to strengthen its market position and seize a larger share of the Brazilian travel market. This strategic collaboration allows both companies to leverage their strengths and insights, ultimately enhancing the travel experience for customers in Brazil and beyond.

Busbud, founded in 2011 by CEO LP Maurice along with co-founders Michael Gradek and Frédéric Thouin, offers a comprehensive platform for searching and booking bus routes globally. With access to over 3 million bus routes from 4,000 companies across 80 countries and available in 17 languages, Busbud provides travelers with a wide range of options for planning and booking their bus journeys. The platform aims to simplify the process of finding and booking bus travel, offering convenience and flexibility to travelers worldwide.

The post-pandemic landscape prompted Busbud to diversify beyond its core bus booking services, expanding into trains, rideshares, and shuttle offerings. This strategic shift was accelerated by a $15 million Series C funding round led by Canadian investors, including the Business Growth Fund.Brazil holds a significant position as the world’s third-largest bus transit market, with a substantial 59% of its leisure and tourism journeys relying on bus transportation. LP Maurice expressed alignment with Buson’s ambition to innovate ground transportation across the Americas and globally. This partnership aims to leverage complementary product suites to revolutionize the travel industry.

Busbud’s acquisition of Buson is part of the company’s ambitious expansion strategy in Latin America. This move follows a $14 million equity round secured by Busbud in November, which was specifically aimed at fueling its growth initiatives in the region. With Buson joining Recorrido and Toronto’s Betterez, Busbud is rapidly expanding its portfolio in the mobility sector. This acquisition represents a significant milestone in Busbud’s consolidation efforts as it aims to revolutionize ground transport through innovative solutions across the Americas and globally.