Launch press release - Dandelier AI

PRESS RELEASE

13.1.2025

Dandelier AI is launched

At the Travel 2025 fair

responsible AI assistant brings efficiency to travel businesses

Dandelier AI, an AI sales and marketing assistant developed for the travel industry, will be launched at the Travel 2025 exhibition on Thursday 16 January.

The SaaS-based solution reduces the time entrepreneurs spend at the computer, speeds up customer service, saves on staff costs and improves the profitability of small businesses, and enables cost-effective automated processes from creating quotes to publishing marketing materials.

FROM VISION TO IMPLEMENTATION

The idea for Dandelier AI was born back in 2019, when Hanna Kallioniemi moved from international IT to the travel industry and noticed the limitations of digital tools and the lack of integration. Through the client projects of Northern Luxury Consulting Oy, founded in 2020, her understanding of the challenges faced by tourism companies deepened, and in the spring of 2024 the possibilities of generative AI brought the idea to the surface again.

"My personal frustration with manual processes and the content production possibilities offered by GenAI provided the impetus to develop a platform where complex systems run in the background and entrepreneurs are offered an easy-to-use and pleasant interface. It is not enough to produce content, integration with both back-end systems and publishing platforms is needed. With Dandelier AI, an entrepreneur can ask the AI to create a quote, add customer data to the CRM and personalise a campaign letter, even in the middle of making love," says Hanna Kallioniemi, founder of Dandelier AI.

In October 2024, the company's core team was strengthened when Mikko Hällfors joined as CTO. With over 20 years of experience in web application development, Mikko will be instrumental in product innovation and functionality design.

"Kiowa's Co-Founder -platform was key to finding the right person. Without Mikko's wide-ranging expertise, Dandelier would have remained at the idea level. Now the first pilot customers can be up and running in less than half an hour." Kallioniemi says.

ACCOUNTABILITY GUIDES DEVELOPMENT

Northern Luxury Consulting Oy, led by Hanna, has a Good Travel Seal -certificate of responsibility and a Visit Finland certificate. Sustainable Travel Finland -label for Sustainable Travel Finland. Sustainability is also at the heart of Dandelier AI's development. The targeted use of AI in core operations reduces unnecessary searches, saving energy and resources. In addition, AI helps to bring small tourism entrepreneurs on a par with larger operators.

"Ecology alone is not enough, we also want to take into account economic and socio-cultural responsibility. That is why we are developing a service that aims to make small businesses more profitable, so that authentic experiences are preserved and there are alternatives to mass tourism," says Hanna Kallioniemi.

PROJECT FUNDING BOOSTED DEVELOPMENT

The lack of access to finance for small micro-enterprises has been much in the news recently, for example by the Association of Micro- and Sole Entrepreneurs. Without new types of project funding, Dandelier AI could never have progressed beyond the idea.

In the early stages of product development, Dandelier AI was selected as a customer for the Finnish AI Region FAIR EHID project, which supports the adoption of AI by small and medium-sized enterprises. The client enabled Metropolia to conduct a proof-of-concept, which strengthened the conditions for further development of the product. "The support provided by FAIR was exceptional. It is great that Finland is investing in AI also at the level of micro-enterprises," Kallioniemi says.

EuroEmotur funding through Haaga-Helia enabled the further development of Dandelier AI's AI solutions together with technology partner Artific AI. In addition, the IP Scan and SME Fund vouchers granted by the European UnionIndustrial PropertyOffice ( EUIPO) enabled the protection of intellectual property at an early stage.

Microsoft Azure was chosen as the development platform, offering flexibility, security and efficiency. "The services provided by theMicrosoft for Startups Founders Hub have exceeded expectations and enabled a flexible way to develop a product in a cloud environment with high quality and security," says Mikko Hällfors, Head of Product Development at Dandelier.

CONTACT

Hanna Kallioniemi | Managing Director | Dandelier AI | hanna@dandelier.com | +358 40 5302 999

Mikko Hällfors | CTO | Dandelier AI | mikko@dandelier.com | +358 50 367 0864

for more information

Dandelier AI

Dandelier AI is a sales and marketing AI assistant for small travel entrepreneurs. The product is suitable for travel and hospitality businesses that want to automate the production of promotional and marketing materials in an easy and convenient way without the need for IT skills. The product is specifically designed to serve small accommodation companies with less than 50 beds, meeting and banqueting room rental companies, tourism associations and DMO/DMC operators.

Dandelier® is an EU registered trademark of Northern Luxury Consulting Ltd.

FAIR EHID - Finnish AI Region

The Finnish AI Region, or FAIR, offers companies low-threshold expertise in AI, augmented reality, HPC and cybersecurity. Providing free services, FAIR is a genuinely useful partner to accelerate and scale up the adoption of AI in small and medium-sized enterprises. FAIR is funded by the European Commission, Business Finland and the City of Helsinki Innovation Fund.

EuroEmotur / Haaga-Helia

The Euro-Emotur project aims to boost digitalisation and innovation in SMEs operating in the tourism sector through cooperation and skills development. The project will create a digital innovation ecosystem and hub to strengthen the competitiveness of businesses.

Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub

The Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub provides free access to cutting-edge AI models via Azure, including OpenAI GPT-4o. The program includes up to $150,000 worth of Azure credits, one-on-one mentoring from Microsoft experts and more.

IP Scan and SME Fund

Small and medium-sized enterprises have access to financial support to protect and manage their intangible assets through the Ideas Powered for Business SME Fund grant scheme. The grant is awarded by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).

Kiowa's Co-Founder

Kiuas Co-Founder is a free matchmaking service to find a startup project or the best resources to start a business.

Cooperation partners

Hanna Kallioniemi

hanna@dandelier.com

+358 40 53 02 999

Mikko Hällfors

mikko@dandelier.com

+358 50 367 0864

Dandelier® is a registered trademark owned by Northern Luxury Consulting Oy.