3 Family Offices Investing in Travel Companies

As direct investment activity continues to grow, family offices are increasingly deploying capital beyond traditional asset classes. Leveraging FINTRX family office data covering thousands of direct deals across 4,000+ global family offices, we take a closer look at three family offices investing directly in travel companies.

1. Clarim Holdings (Jim McCann Family Office)

Founded in 2017, Clarim Holdings is a Melville, New York–based single-family office managing the capital of Jim McCann, Chairman and Founder of 1-800-Flowers.com. The firm invests across private equity and venture capital, partnering with high-growth and family-owned businesses where it can support expansion through operational expertise, knowledge sharing, and an active shareholder network.

Clarim Holdings targets companies positioned at the intersection of technology and traditional industries, with investments spanning media, communications, talent, e-commerce, and technology. In 2019, the firm made a direct investment in Skylark, a New York–based luxury travel platform modernizing the traditional agency model through technology-enabled booking, full-service advisors, and exclusive partnerships with leading hotels and resorts worldwide. 

2. JAWS Estates Capital (Barry Sternlicht Family Office)

Established in 2014, JAWS Estates Capital is a Greenwich, Connecticut–based single-family office managing the personal capital of Barry Sternlicht, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Starwood Capital Group, a global private real estate investment firm with more than $60 billion in assets under management. JAWS Estates Capital oversees asset allocation across a broad range of strategies, with primary exposure to real estate, private equity, venture capital, and direct investments. The firm focuses on consumer- and technology-driven businesses, with additional interest across travel, food and beverage, logistics, data and analytics, manufacturing, fashion, gaming, and eSports. JAWS frequently participates in direct investments and co-investments alongside institutional partners.

Within travel, JAWS Estates Capital has backed several high-profile platforms. In 2016, the firm invested in Away, a New York–based travel and lifestyle brand redefining modern travel essentials and experiences. Away has since scaled globally, expanded its product lines, and built a growing physical retail presence alongside its direct-to-consumer model. JAWS also invested in Lyric in 2018 and 2019. Lyric designs and operates premium accommodations for modern business travelers, partnering with leading real estate developers to reimagine flexible, design-forward urban lodging. Beyond travel, JAWS Estates Capital’s broader investment portfolio includes companies such as Reonomy, RealtyShares, Pivotal Commware, SafeGraph, ThirdLove, Skurt, and Little Spoon, reflecting its long-standing interest in scalable, consumer-oriented and data-driven business models.

3. Kapor Capital (Mitchell Kapor Family Office)

Founded in 2009, Kapor Capital is an Oakland, California–based single-family office managing the capital of Mitchell Kapor, a software entrepreneur best known for founding Lotus Software. Kapor Capital invests across public and private equity, with a primary focus on early-stage technology companies and mission-driven businesses. The firm is known for its impact-oriented investment approach, prioritizing opportunities that expand access and economic mobility for underserved communities across the United States.

Kapor Capital actively supports entrepreneurs of color, women, and other underrepresented founders, serving as a long-term, value-added partner through strategic guidance, business development support, and patient capital. While sector-agnostic, the firm has invested across travel and mobility, financial services, healthcare, education, justice, workforce solutions, and food systems.

Within travel and transportation, Kapor Capital has made multiple investments in Via Transportation, participating in funding rounds in 2014 and 2020. Via operates a technology platform that powers on-demand, shared transportation networks for cities, transit agencies, universities, and private operators across the U.S. and Europe, modernizing public transit through dynamic routing and real-time ride pooling. Geographically, Kapor Capital primarily targets U.S.-based opportunities, while selectively pursuing international investments aligned with its mission and impact goals.

Looking to identify family offices investing in travel, mobility, and impact-driven technology? Book a FINTRX demo to explore direct investments, sector themes, and key decision-makers across the family office landscape.