Travel fintech startup Scapia has announced a Rs 20 crore employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) buyback. The move gives eligible employees a chance to convert part of their stock options into cash. The company has allowed eligible staff members to sell up to 10% of their vested ESOPs under this programme.
The announcement comes at an important time for the company. Scapia recently closed a major funding round and has continued to expand its travel and financial services business across India. The ESOP buyback also reflects a wider trend in the Indian startup sector, where several companies have offered similar liquidity opportunities to employees this year.
Employees Get a Chance to Unlock Value
Employee stock ownership plans are a common way for startups to reward their teams. Instead of only salary, employees also receive stock options that may become valuable as the company grows.
However, employees usually have to wait for many years before they can convert those stock options into money. An ESOP buyback changes that. It allows employees to sell a part of their vested shares back to the company or investors and receive cash without waiting for a public listing or acquisition.
Under Scapia’s latest programme, eligible employees can sell up to 10% of their vested stock options. This gives them immediate financial benefits while they continue to remain part of the company’s future journey.
Buyback Comes After Major Funding Round
The ESOP buyback follows Scapia’s successful $63 million Series C funding round.
The round came under the leadership of General Catalyst. Existing investors Peak XV Partners and Z47 also took part in the investment.
This fresh capital has strengthened Scapia’s financial position. Over the last year, the startup has secured more than $100 million in total funding. The company plans to use this capital to expand beyond its current credit card business and build a much larger travel ecosystem.
The latest investment also shows strong investor confidence in Scapia’s long-term plans and business model.
Focus on Travel and Financial Services
Scapia was founded in 2022 by Anil Goteti. Since its launch, the startup has focused on the fast-growing travel fintech market.
The company combines travel services with financial products under one platform. Customers can book flights, hotels, trains, buses, visas, experiences, and many other travel services.
Apart from travel bookings, Scapia also offers co-branded credit cards. These cards come through partnerships with Federal Bank and BOBCARD.
The idea behind this model is to make travel planning and payments easier for customers while also offering rewards and financial benefits through the company’s credit card products.
Strong Growth Across Travel Business
Scapia has shared impressive numbers about the growth of its travel platform.
According to the company, flight bookings have grown five to six times compared to the previous year.
Hotel bookings have performed even better. The company said hotel reservations have increased nearly eight times during the same period.
These numbers show that more customers now use Scapia for travel needs. The company continues to expand its presence in India’s competitive online travel market.
As more people return to travel after the pandemic years, companies like Scapia have seen higher demand across several travel categories.
Credit Cards Reach Customers Worldwide
Scapia has also reported strong growth in the use of its co-branded credit cards.
According to the company, customers have used its cards across 113 currencies in 174 countries.
This wide international reach highlights the growing popularity of the company’s products among Indian travellers.
Scapia also said it has built one of India’s dual network credit cards. The card supports both Visa and RuPay networks, which gives customers more flexibility during domestic as well as international transactions.
The company believes such features help improve the overall travel experience for users.
Wide Presence Across India
Scapia’s services now reach customers across more than 17,500 pincodes in India.
Its travel platform and co-branded credit cards are available to users in both large cities and smaller towns.
This broad reach gives the startup access to a large customer base as demand for digital travel services continues to rise across the country.
The company has focused on making its products accessible to travellers from different regions instead of limiting its services to only metro cities.
Revenue Sees Strong Rise
Scapia also reported solid financial growth for the financial year that ended in March 2025.
The company’s operating revenue rose by 71% during FY25.
Revenue increased to Rs 29 crore compared to Rs 17 crore in FY24.
The sharp rise in revenue reflects higher customer activity across its travel platform and financial products.
Although the company remains in the investment phase, stronger revenue growth indicates that its business continues to gain momentum.
Net Loss Narrows
While Scapia is still loss-making, its financial results show improvement.
The company’s net loss fell to Rs 83 crore in FY25 from Rs 88 crore in FY24.
A lower loss, along with higher revenue, suggests that the company has moved closer to improving its financial performance.
Like many young startups, Scapia continues to invest heavily in technology, customer acquisition, product development, and business expansion. These investments often affect profitability during the early years.
ESOP Buybacks Become More Common
Scapia is not the only startup that has rewarded employees through an ESOP buyback this year.
According to data compiled by Entrackr, nine startups have completed ESOP buybacks worth more than $270 million during 2026 so far.
The list includes BrowserStack, Innovaccer, CoinDCX, Unacademy, Tractor Junction, Emversity, Cashfree Payments, Plum, and Kratikal.
These buybacks allow employees to receive financial rewards without waiting for an initial public offering or company sale.
Such programmes have become an important tool for startups to retain talented employees and recognise their contribution to business growth.
Flipkart Also Announces Employee Liquidity Event
Scapia’s announcement comes shortly after ecommerce giant Flipkart approved its second discretionary ESOP liquidity event.
The latest liquidity programme from Flipkart is expected to be worth around $25 million.
Large companies as well as fast-growing startups now use ESOP buybacks more frequently as a way to reward employees while strengthening trust within their organisations.
These initiatives also make startup jobs more attractive for skilled professionals who value long-term wealth creation opportunities.
Positive Signal for Employees and Investors
Scapia’s Rs 20 crore ESOP buyback sends a positive message to both employees and investors.
Employees receive an opportunity to realise part of the value they have helped create. At the same time, the company continues to invest in future growth after securing fresh capital from leading investors.
With more than $100 million raised over the past year, strong growth in travel bookings, wider customer reach across India, and rising revenue, Scapia appears focused on building a larger travel and fintech platform.
The latest ESOP buyback not only rewards employees for their efforts but also reflects the company’s confidence in its future. As competition grows across India’s travel and fintech sectors, Scapia aims to strengthen its position through product expansion, customer growth, and continued investment in its business.
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