An Australian startup hoping to transform the future of airline upgrades—potentially sending the value of the global airline ancillary market through the roof in the process—has secured A$1.2 million in seed funding.

Launching globally later this year, Seatfrog will allow airlines to auction their empty premium seats up until the moment of departure, unlocking an untapped revenue stream while giving customers an opportunity to bid on something a little more luxurious than their pre-booked seat between a screaming toddler and a drooling narcoleptic in economy.

In 2015, the global airline industry’s ancillary revenue—revenue generated by services other than the mere transportation of passengers, such as onboard dining, baggage fees, premium seat assignments and early boarding benefits—was estimated to be a whopping $59.2 billion.

Seatfrog CEO Iain Griffin said that by ensuring a flawless front-end user experience, while also working closely with airlines to integrate the service with their booking systems, the company’s technology would broaden the scope of this market even further.

“The time is ripe for a change,” he said.

Mr Griffin said Seatfrog, which will allow passengers to bid on seats from their mobile devices, would “democratise the upgrade process for all passengers,” rather than merely the high-rolling high-flyers.

“There’s no specific group or demographic that’s being targeted,” he said. “We’re making upgrades more attainable for any passenger. Whether experienced flyers or [someone] upgrading for the very first time, we think Seatfrog has a very broad appeal.”

The start-up’s latest funding round was led by HOWZAT Partners, the investment team behind Trivago, which was sold to Expedia in 2013 in a deal worth US$1billion.

Mr Griffin said Seatfrog’s recently-secured seed funding would be used to fund the company’s growth and expansion overseas, as well as to bolster its data science and engineering teams.