Techstars

Techstars Central LLC, founded in 2006 and based in Boulder, Colorado, operates as a startup accelerator and venture capital firm focused on supporting early-stage technology-oriented companies. It specializes in a mentorship-driven accelerator program, selecting ten startups each summer to participate in a three-month incubation period, offering funding of $120,000 in exchange for equity. Techstars invests primarily in sectors such as fintech, artificial intelligence, blockchain, augmented reality, and IoT, while avoiding investments in medical devices, healthcare technology, and local service-oriented businesses. In addition to its primary accelerator, Techstars has various specialized programs, including those focused on music, retail, mobility, and social impact, with global reach extending to regions such as Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The firm prefers taking minority stakes, typically between six and ten percent, without seeking board representation or investor rights. Techstars has built a robust network of entrepreneurs, mentors, and corporate partners to foster innovation and growth within its portfolio, which includes over 1,000 companies with a significant collective market capitalization.

Ethan Austin

MD of the Techstars Western Union Accelerator

Mark Tortorella

Advisor

Nathanial Zola

MD

Past deals in Travel

Sēkr

Seed Round in 2022
Sēkr develops an app called The Vanlife App, which helps every road traveler find their way to free camping, resources, and outdoor community. The Vanlife App guides travelers to their next best adventure with the its social features that allow them to find and connect with other travelers nearby and detailed user reviews.

Sēkr

Seed Round in 2021
Sēkr develops an app called The Vanlife App, which helps every road traveler find their way to free camping, resources, and outdoor community. The Vanlife App guides travelers to their next best adventure with the its social features that allow them to find and connect with other travelers nearby and detailed user reviews.

Tempore

Pre Seed Round in 2020
Tempore, developed by Travel Labs, Inc., is an innovative software platform designed for business travel management, utilizing artificial intelligence to enhance the user experience. Founded in 2017 and based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Tempore functions as an AI-driven business travel profile engine that learns individual travel habits. It integrates seamlessly with users' calendars, simplifying the often complex process of booking business travel to a single click. By mimicking the efficiency of a well-trained executive assistant, Tempore aims to streamline travel arrangements, making them more intuitive and user-friendly. The platform invites users to experience its capabilities through a private pilot program.

Trabble

Pre Seed Round in 2020
Trabble provides a guest engagement platform as a solution for the travel & hospitality industry. Their platform allows businesses to have personalised chat-based concierge services that can answer their travellers' questions in real-time, provide travel services and recommend activities or experiences during their trip.

Inspire Me World

Pre Seed Round in 2020
Co-Founder and Director of Inspire Me World Ltd, a subscription box that allows you to experience the world wherever you are.

Koala

Seed Round in 2020
Koala is a travel insurance provider that addresses the shortcomings of traditional insurance services by offering a streamlined and customer-focused approach. The company specializes in compensating travelers for delayed or canceled flights, monitoring clients' journeys to ensure timely and automatic compensation in the event of disruptions. This includes issues related to flight cancellations, delays, and baggage problems. Koala aims to enhance the travel experience by eliminating hidden fees and unnecessary complexities, positioning itself as a personal travel assistant that prioritizes customer satisfaction and fairness. Through its innovative model, Koala seeks to transform how travelers manage disruptions, ensuring they receive prompt support when things go wrong.

TapTrip

Venture Round in 2020
Hola, hallo and bonjour! We are taptrip. We have a tech head and a travellers’ heart, and we are passionate about changing the way things are done around here. But don’t worry, disruption never felt so easy, or looked so good. So välkommen! We’re excited you made it. ------- taptrip have a tech head and a travellers’ heart, and we’re using them both to power the world’s leading businesses and travel management companies to change the way things are done around here. That means more speed, more ease, more great data insights, convenience, and way less headache, offline bookings and time wasted. We are more affordable than our competitors, which gives you access to new markets such as small medium-sized businesses. Our traveller booking compliance is almost double the industry average, which will delight your clients, and we have the sweetest award-wining interface in the business travel world. - Finalist for Best Self-Booking Tool at the Business Travel Awards 2020. - Winner of the Disrupt Launchpad Award at the 2019 Business Travel Show. - Named 'One to Watch' in the Buying Business Travel 2019 Hotlist. - Listed as one of the top 5 exciting startups in the travel management space for 2018 by the Guild of Travel Management (GTMC).

Secret City Trails

Seed Round in 2020
Secret City Trails, founded in 2017 and based in Lisbon, Portugal, offers a unique marketplace for city discovery games designed to enhance urban exploration. The company creates interactive experiences where players solve a series of riddles through a web app on their mobile devices, requiring minimal data usage. These games are crafted by locals in over 40 European cities, guiding participants to hidden gems and local favorites while promoting sustainable tourism and supporting local entrepreneurship. As players engage with the trails, they unlock stories related to the city's history, culture, and art, alongside recommendations for independent shops, cafes, and bars. With more than 90 adventures available, Secret City Trails provides an entertaining and affordable way for travelers to see and enjoy cities in a playful manner.

left

Pre Seed Round in 2020
LEFT develops an online platform for travelers to share and manage their travel information. The company develops a web portal for coordinators to manage travelers and programs; a mobile application for travelers and field staff; and travel database to archive travel data. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in the United States.

Tictactrip

Pre Seed Round in 2020
Tictactrip est un comparateur de billets de transports terrestres, qui permet la création de combinaisons intermodales pour voyager à travers l’Europe1. Ce site internet regroupe les offres des transports ferroviaires, et routiers (bus et covoiturage). Une centaine de compagnies et sociétés de transports sont partenaires, telles que Ouibus, Flixbus, Isilines, SNCF ou encore Blablacar. Leurs offres sont analysées, restructurées et combinées par la plateforme, qui a pour but de proposer des trajets économiques.

Sēkr

Pre Seed Round in 2020
Sēkr develops an app called The Vanlife App, which helps every road traveler find their way to free camping, resources, and outdoor community. The Vanlife App guides travelers to their next best adventure with the its social features that allow them to find and connect with other travelers nearby and detailed user reviews.

Koala

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Koala is a travel insurance provider that addresses the shortcomings of traditional insurance services by offering a streamlined and customer-focused approach. The company specializes in compensating travelers for delayed or canceled flights, monitoring clients' journeys to ensure timely and automatic compensation in the event of disruptions. This includes issues related to flight cancellations, delays, and baggage problems. Koala aims to enhance the travel experience by eliminating hidden fees and unnecessary complexities, positioning itself as a personal travel assistant that prioritizes customer satisfaction and fairness. Through its innovative model, Koala seeks to transform how travelers manage disruptions, ensuring they receive prompt support when things go wrong.

Ruksack

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Ruksack is a provider of travel planning services that connects travelers with local experts to enhance their travel experiences. The company offers a platform where users can engage in discussions with travel specialists, participate in planning sessions, and create customized itineraries. Ruksack also features a curated collection of travel tips, blogs, and videos from trusted experts, all organized in one accessible location. This comprehensive approach allows travelers to easily access valuable insights and resources, making the process of planning their perfect trip more efficient and informed.

Eddy Travels

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Eddy Travels is your personal travel advisor powered by AI. Designed to simplify the trip planning experience, the digital assistant provides personalized suggestions for the best flights, hotels, car rentals, and other services. It targets millennial travelers in Canada and the US and is available on popular messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, Slack, Telegram, Viber, and Line. The team behind Eddy Travels built a cutting-edge natural language processing system and integrated offers from such leading travel companies as Skyscanner. Try the latest version on Facebook Messenger: https://m.me/eddytravels

Pana

Series A in 2019
Pana is a computer software company that specializes in mobile, online travel, and mobile commerce. The company is driven by its mission is to make travel simple, personal, and delightful. From an app, they make booking travel as easy as texting a friend, provide white-glove care for the highs and lows of travel, and offer travel perks, rewards, and experiences. Pana was founded in 2014 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

Splitty Travel

Series A in 2019
Splitty Travel Ltd. owns and operates an online hotel booking platform that allows users to book hotels worldwide. The company was founded in 2015 and is based in Rishon LeTsiyon, Israel.

TapTrip

Seed Round in 2019
Hola, hallo and bonjour! We are taptrip. We have a tech head and a travellers’ heart, and we are passionate about changing the way things are done around here. But don’t worry, disruption never felt so easy, or looked so good. So välkommen! We’re excited you made it. ------- taptrip have a tech head and a travellers’ heart, and we’re using them both to power the world’s leading businesses and travel management companies to change the way things are done around here. That means more speed, more ease, more great data insights, convenience, and way less headache, offline bookings and time wasted. We are more affordable than our competitors, which gives you access to new markets such as small medium-sized businesses. Our traveller booking compliance is almost double the industry average, which will delight your clients, and we have the sweetest award-wining interface in the business travel world. - Finalist for Best Self-Booking Tool at the Business Travel Awards 2020. - Winner of the Disrupt Launchpad Award at the 2019 Business Travel Show. - Named 'One to Watch' in the Buying Business Travel 2019 Hotlist. - Listed as one of the top 5 exciting startups in the travel management space for 2018 by the Guild of Travel Management (GTMC).

Seek Sophie

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Seek Sophie is the world's first sustainable travel platform. Seek Sophie enables travellers to book Outdoors, Wildlife & Ecotourism activities directly with a community of impact-driven local businesses. Seek Sophie's mission is to create a fairer and more ethical world of travel, that benefits travellers, the local communities and the planet. Seek Sophie is committed to positive-footprint travel. Over-80% of the money you spend goes to creating jobs in the local communities, and offsetting the carbon footprint of travel. For every $1 spend on Seek Sophie, we offset 1lb of carbon emissions.

Seek Sophie

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Seek Sophie is the world's first sustainable travel platform. Seek Sophie enables travellers to book Outdoors, Wildlife & Ecotourism activities directly with a community of impact-driven local businesses. Seek Sophie's mission is to create a fairer and more ethical world of travel, that benefits travellers, the local communities and the planet. Seek Sophie is committed to positive-footprint travel. Over-80% of the money you spend goes to creating jobs in the local communities, and offsetting the carbon footprint of travel. For every $1 spend on Seek Sophie, we offset 1lb of carbon emissions.

LuggAgent

Seed Round in 2019
Founded in 2016. 3 individuals set out with the goal to solve the problem of luggage hassles that our fellow travellers face. Through an invitation from InvestHK, LuggAgent International Limited was formed in 2017. Over the past 3 years, LuggAgent has managed to successfully penetrate 200 cities, build partnerships with over 300 dedicated logistic partners, and establish strategic collaboration with Ctrip, Klook, Expedia, Tripadvisor, Cathay Pacific, to deliver over 100,000 luggages around the globe with no bags lost. A simple idea, with a clear vision, became a global concierge that offers the luxury of time and freedom, essentially enabling travellers to achieve more on every single trip. However, we do not intend to stop there. This year, we are building a technological platform with the objective to connect all stakeholders in the travel ecosystem, namely, Airports, Airlines, OTAs, Hotels, Bank, Shopping Malls, with 3rd party service providers and travellers. Only through such a integrated global network, that we could offer our fellow travellers a truly seamless experience. We want to do the heavy logistical lifting so that they can focus on the adventure.

Priva

Pre Seed Round in 2018
Priva is a door-to-door regional mobility solution - ride in a luxury van that has been converted to a business office on wheels: private, connected and optimized for productivity, collaboration and rest. Priva is an ideal alternative to short-haul flights for leisure and business travelers; saving money and creating time to work and rest. Priva is part of Techstars Mobility 2018.

SkyHi

Pre Seed Round in 2018
SkyHi Travel, Inc. provides flight booking services. It offers users to claim seats on flights based on monthly subscription basis. The company is was founded in 2016 and is based in Apple Valley, California.

Splitty Travel

Seed Round in 2017
Splitty Travel Ltd. owns and operates an online hotel booking platform that allows users to book hotels worldwide. The company was founded in 2015 and is based in Rishon LeTsiyon, Israel.

Pana

Funding Round in 2017
Pana is a computer software company that specializes in mobile, online travel, and mobile commerce. The company is driven by its mission is to make travel simple, personal, and delightful. From an app, they make booking travel as easy as texting a friend, provide white-glove care for the highs and lows of travel, and offer travel perks, rewards, and experiences. Pana was founded in 2014 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

FomoTravel

Funding Round in 2017
FOMO Travel is an online lay-buy platform where one can pay a small deposit towards a travel goal and along the way, pay instalments. It helps individuals, families and groups to avoid all interest and debt whilst simultaneously allowing friends and family to contribute towards the traveler's goal. FOMO has formed an operational partnership with the Singer Group as well as a direct partnership with SA Tourism. FOMO has also signed and is in the process of finalising a POC/Campaign with Absa. FOMO has also been in various media articles (City Press, Fin24 etc.) as well as radio stations (SAFM, Cape Talk etc.)

FomoTravel

Seed Round in 2017
FOMO Travel is an online lay-buy platform where one can pay a small deposit towards a travel goal and along the way, pay instalments. It helps individuals, families and groups to avoid all interest and debt whilst simultaneously allowing friends and family to contribute towards the traveler's goal. FOMO has formed an operational partnership with the Singer Group as well as a direct partnership with SA Tourism. FOMO has also signed and is in the process of finalising a POC/Campaign with Absa. FOMO has also been in various media articles (City Press, Fin24 etc.) as well as radio stations (SAFM, Cape Talk etc.)

Pana

Funding Round in 2016
Pana is a computer software company that specializes in mobile, online travel, and mobile commerce. The company is driven by its mission is to make travel simple, personal, and delightful. From an app, they make booking travel as easy as texting a friend, provide white-glove care for the highs and lows of travel, and offer travel perks, rewards, and experiences. Pana was founded in 2014 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

Splitty Travel

Seed Round in 2016
Splitty Travel Ltd. owns and operates an online hotel booking platform that allows users to book hotels worldwide. The company was founded in 2015 and is based in Rishon LeTsiyon, Israel.

TourWithMe Inc.

Convertible Note in 2016
TourWithMe is an integrated online marketplace for people to list, explore, and book their desired travelling spots worldwide online or from your smartphone.

Voyhoy

Seed Round in 2016
Voyhoy is a booking platform that helps travelers save time and money across bus, plane, train, ferry, and rideshare in Latin America. It offers an online platform that enables its users to compare and buy bus tickets. Voyhoy was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Santiago, Chile.

Journy

Seed Round in 2015
Journy is a personalized travel planning service that connects travelers with dedicated trip designers who create custom itineraries tailored to individual preferences. The service offers a comprehensive approach, incorporating accommodations, activities, and restaurant reservations into route-optimized daily travel plans. By combining human expertise with proprietary technology, Journy provides a high-touch experience at a transparent flat rate, which varies based on the inclusiveness of the itinerary. This model allows travelers to receive personalized recommendations and discover hidden gems, ensuring a unique and enjoyable travel experience.

Pana

Seed Round in 2015
Pana is a computer software company that specializes in mobile, online travel, and mobile commerce. The company is driven by its mission is to make travel simple, personal, and delightful. From an app, they make booking travel as easy as texting a friend, provide white-glove care for the highs and lows of travel, and offer travel perks, rewards, and experiences. Pana was founded in 2014 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

Edvisor.io

Convertible Note in 2014
Edvisor.io increases access to global educational opportunities by seamlessly connecting schools and educational travel agencies via integrated web tools.

Edvisor.io

Seed Round in 2014
Edvisor.io increases access to global educational opportunities by seamlessly connecting schools and educational travel agencies via integrated web tools.

Pana

Pre Seed Round in 2014
Pana is a computer software company that specializes in mobile, online travel, and mobile commerce. The company is driven by its mission is to make travel simple, personal, and delightful. From an app, they make booking travel as easy as texting a friend, provide white-glove care for the highs and lows of travel, and offer travel perks, rewards, and experiences. Pana was founded in 2014 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

BagsUp

Non Equity Assistance in 2012
BagsUp helps people find answers in the travel data around them. They do this by liberating the data buried in your spreadsheets, databases and networks into beautiful products that help you understand context and take action. They are helping deliver the perfect trip by decoding the DNA of business travel starting with hotels and restaurants.

BagsUp

Seed Round in 2012
BagsUp helps people find answers in the travel data around them. They do this by liberating the data buried in your spreadsheets, databases and networks into beautiful products that help you understand context and take action. They are helping deliver the perfect trip by decoding the DNA of business travel starting with hotels and restaurants.

Wander

Seed Round in 2012
Wander is a beautiful way to share and experience the world. Founded by Jeremy Fisher, previously founder of Dinevore, and Keenan Cummings. Wander is a TechStars NYC Summer 2012 company.

Wander

Seed Round in 2012
Wander is a beautiful way to share and experience the world. Founded by Jeremy Fisher, previously founder of Dinevore, and Keenan Cummings. Wander is a TechStars NYC Summer 2012 company.

Spontaneously

Seed Round in 2011
Spontaneously is a new way to make plans with friends. Whether you have free time to fill or plans to share, our service helps you see your favorite people more often.

SideTour

Seed Round in 2011
SideTour is a community marketplace that allows individuals to discover, book, and host unique experiences and activities. These offerings range from dining at a chef's home to exclusive backstage access at Broadway shows or sunset views from private sailboats. Founded in June 2011 and headquartered in New York City, SideTour aims to connect users with creative hosts who are eager to share their talents and passions. The platform facilitates a range of activities, including tours and dine-outs, fostering a vibrant community where people can engage with one another through shared experiences.

Flextrip

Seed Round in 2011
Flextrip is the world's largest tours & activities distribution network. Leveraging our unique distribution technology, OTA's, Airlines, Hotels & Car Rental chains now have access to an unparalleled selection of electronically bookable content with some of the highest commissions in the industry.

Plancast

Seed Round in 2010
The best way to discover events and activities with friends.

Everlater

Seed Round in 2009
Everlater is a site in which users can record travel experiences, share them with friends and family, and discover new travel ideas from social network & other travelers like you. Users can upload stories, experiences, photos, and more directly to Everlater or the site can pull items in from external services such as Flickr. There is an iPhone app that enables offline recording of travel experiences which can be synchronized and shared later. Each user and trip has a unique URL for easy sharing with friends and family on [Facebook](http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/facebook), [Twitter](http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/), and other social networks. Everlater was a [TechStars 2009](http://www.crunchbase.com/organization/techstars) company.

The Highway Girl

Seed Round in 2008
The Highway Girl helps travelers discover great music, venues and unique products. We bring together handmade goods that make your journey more comfortable.