Viatu, a Zug, Switzerland-based travel company utilising API and data-driven technology to simplify the booking process of multi-day sustainable adventures, raised a $1M seed funding round.
The round was led by Ndoto with participation from Austrian sustainable travel marketplace ASI Reisen, and a number of prominent angels, such as ex-Uber and founder of Ambo Ventures and Kenyan-based lodge Emboo Camp, Loic Amado.
The company, which has raised $1.2M to-date, intends to use the funds to finish building its direct booking system and launch the interface to its customers, while continuously improving the functionality of its product based on customer experience.
Co-founded in Zug, Switzerland, in 2020 by travel industry professionals Alfredo Seidemann (CEO), Johan Bodenstein (CTO) and Bárbara Buchel (Chief Impact Officer), Viatu enables people to have a ‘connected trip’ experience, where they can book every aspect of their itinerary – from accommodation, to experiences, to car rental – through a single platform. It provides a data-driven, fully customisable trip builder with live pricing and availability, courtesy of API plug-ins, which gives travellers control and ownership of their adventures.
Viatu currently specialises in trips to sub-Saharan African destinations, such as Botswana, Namibia, Rwanda, and South Africa, and users can choose from a number of experiences, including eco-luxury getaways in the Etosha National Park, following Cape Town’s Garden Route, and spotting the ‘Big Five’ in the Okavango Delta. AI technology and API plug-ins simplify the booking process, allowing users to arrange their trips easily and efficiently through the website, with more destinations from across the globe to be added soon.
Since launching, Viatu has expanded its team to 15, with 10 nationalities represented, and over half being based in Africa between Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
FinSMEs
03/05/2023