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UPAD Launches “Rakija Gate” – The First Balkan Anti-Bot Protocol – During the Most Attacked Concert On-Sale in Regional History

ZAGREB, Croatia, Nov. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — UPAD, the progressive, fintech–driven ticketing infrastructure startup, has deployed “Rakija Pit”, a culturally–coded anti–automation signal created to identify and quarantine bots during high–demand ticket launches.

Rakija Gate was activated for the first time ever during the New Year’s Eve sale for the biggest young regional singer Aleksandra Prijović, organised by Extra FM, drawing the highest complexities of bot traffic the region has ever recorded.

Within minutes, UPAD’s behaviour engine detected machine–generated purchase patterns far above normal thresholds. Instead of allowing automated sessions to compete with real fans, suspicious traffic was routed into a separate quarantine lane – an internal mechanism the engineering team calls the Rakija Pit. It's where automated sessions can dance as long as they want – but they never reach checkout. Meanwhile, real fans keep moving forward.

The name reflects a piece of shared Balkan humour:

only real humans survive rakija – automated systems don’t stand a chance.

It’s where automated sessions can dance as long as they want — but they never reach checkout. Meanwhile, real fans keep moving forward.

Behind the jokes sits a tech–forward layer of infrastructural logic more commonly found in modern fintech than in regional ticketing.

While most platforms in the EU treat bot traffic as an inevitable nuisance, UPAD is positioning Rakija Pit as part of a new integrity layer for live–event access. As Balkan markets begin mirroring global demand waves, UPAD sees infrastructural fairness as essential.

To set a new standard for transparency, UPAD will publish a public Event Digest, including anonymized metrics such as queue composition, purchase success rates, anomaly quarantines, and overall integrity scores.

“This is what artists, organisers, and fans deserve,” said M.M. “Not mystery. Not speculation. Actual numbers. Actual fairness. Actual presence.”

upad.hr

About UPAD

UPAD is a fast–growing ticketing infrastructure company building the technological backbone for fair, transparent live experiences across the Balkans and beyond. UPAD combines modern seat architecture, behaviour–scoring, and presence–tracking layers to protect artists and fans from automated interference. With a visual language inspired by minimal systems design and a philosophy built around Be Present, UPAD aims to elevate how live events are sold, measured, and experienced.

More: upad.hr

Press Contact

UPAD d.o.o.
[email protected]
upad.hr

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9f1569d5–c7eb–41e6–829e–377230598c64


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 1001139101)

FLYR Expands Two-Year Presence and Major Investment in Saudi Arabia with Regional Headquarters

Technology leader celebrates its permanent presence in Riyadh following nearly two years of embedded partnership with Riyadh Air

Regional HQ supports travel commerce transformation across Saudi Arabia, creating new opportunities for local talent

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Nov. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FLYR, the leading provider of next–generation travel retailing technology known as ‘Offer & Order’, helping major airlines and travel suppliers become modern retailers, today announced the opening of its regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia, formalizing the company's existing presence in the Kingdom. This milestone follows nearly two years of close collaboration with Riyadh Air, during which FLYR has deployed over 200 team members to support the airline's launch as the world's first full–service carrier operating without legacy technologies that hold it back.

Since inception, FLYR has raised $500 million to accelerate its mission of modernizing travel commerce globally, investing much of that sum in its groundbreaking engagement with Riyadh Air and the foundation it will provide to other major airlines. The establishment of a regional headquarters in Riyadh reflects the company's commitment to supporting Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goals. The move positions FLYR to deploy its transformative technology across travel retailers in the Kingdom, enabling unified cross–selling and cross–servicing across travel, experiences, accommodations, and services.

“Being embedded with Riyadh Air in the Kingdom has been nothing short of extraordinary,” said Alex Mans, Founder and CEO of FLYR, who recently attended the Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh. “At Riyadh Air, we're not just building an airline–as incredible as that opportunity is–we're contributing to Vision 2030's transformation of the Kingdom and its tourism drive. Being part of a project of that scale and ambition is exhilarating for me and the whole team.“

From a Pioneering Airline to Kingdom–wide Travel Ecosystem

The Riyadh Air program represents the premier example of transforming airlines into modern retailers through Offer & Order technology spearheaded by IATA and now brought to life by FLYR. Unlike legacy airline systems that are limited to rigid, flight–only transactions, FLYR's platform enables true retail flexibility and operational efficiency, allowing airlines to bundle products dynamically, personalize offerings, and create seamless customer experiences across all touchpoints.

FLYR's platform enables a unified shopping cart experience where travelers build complete journeys — selecting flights, choosing hotels, booking activities, and purchasing services from multiple providers — all within a single, embedded experience that requires no redirects to other brands or platforms. Airlines expand the scope of products they can sell, regional retailers gain access to customers during the booking flow, and travelers maintain one place to manage their entire trip and add services as needed throughout their journey.

“This unified commerce approach has transformative potential for Saudi Arabia's tourism sector,” added Mans. “Imagine a traveler booking a complete Saudi experience – flights on Riyadh Air, accommodations through local hospitality partners, cultural experiences through the Saudi Tourism Authority, and transportation services – accessed through a unified shopping cart that’s present wherever customers want to buy. That's the future we're building.“

Partnering to Build Saudi Arabia as a Global Aviation Hub

Evidencing FLYR's commitment to Saudi Arabia's transformation, CEO Alex Mans recently joined airline CEOs Ed Bastian of Delta Air Lines, Tony Douglas of Riyadh Air, and His Excellency Engr. Ibrahim Aiomar of Saudia for a private forum assembled by the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Hosted by PIF Senior Directors Raid bin Abdullah Ismail and Muhammad Ovais Yousuf, the meeting focused on the future of aviation and tourism in the country, coinciding with Delta's announcement of new direct flights from the U.S. to Riyadh.

“The vision for Saudi Arabia's aviation future is exceptionally bold and exciting,” said Rafat Ali, CEO of Skift, who moderated the session. “Bringing it to life will require exactly the kind of forward–thinking leadership we saw in that room. These are executives willing to challenge conventions and build something transformative.“

Co–Location Has Accelerated Innovation and Delivery

“There's no substitute for being in the same room when you're building something this transformative,” said Barry Rodgers, VP of Program Delivery at FLYR. “Working side–by–side with the Riyadh Air team every day allows us to move at the speed this project demands. We can solve challenges and pivot toward opportunities immediately. This level of collaboration and embedded partnership is what makes ambitious timelines achievable.“

Tony Douglas, CEO of Riyadh Air, added: “At Riyadh Air, innovation is at the core of everything we do. We are not just launching an airline; we are launching a new era of air travel. Our partnership with FLYR empowers us to harness the latest technologies to deliver a truly personalized and seamless travel experience, exceeding expectations at every step of the journey and offering our guests a virtually unlimited range of options at every touchpoint.”

About FLYR

FLYR is modernizing airline commerce as the technology leader in Offer & Order retailing. Its open, modular platform and proprietary Legacy Translator technology integrate seamlessly with existing systems, enabling airlines to innovate faster and deliver flexible, customer–centric retail experiences. Trusted by leading carriers worldwide, FLYR powers mission–critical retailing operations that define the future of travel.

FLYR is seeking talented professionals from within Saudi Arabia, contributing to the Kingdom's goals of developing local technology expertise and creating high–value career opportunities for Saudi nationals.


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 9575629)