Tailbox Raises $1.5 Million for AI-Based Tour Guide: Startup Funding Roundup

15.09.2023 - 21:49 / skift.com / Justin Dawes / Generative Ai

Four travel tech startups have announced nearly $12 million in funding over the past week.

>>Tailbox, a startup developing a platform for personalized tours powered by generative AI, has raised $1.5 million in seed funding from Link Ventures.

The startup was founded at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology by Bayazid Malikov and Eduardo Schuch as they were working on master’s degrees. The funding comes after a summer participating in the institute’s Delta V accelerator program, according to a blog post by Malikov published on Medium.

Malikov stated that Tailbox is developing an AI-powered platform meant to act as a digital tour guide that accommodates individual interests, such as history, food, architecture, or folklore. 

The startup is working with local agencies to build out data for specific areas, with the goal of helping travelers find “lesser-known treasures.”

“Imagine walking through Rome and receiving a real-time, AI-generated narrative about the Colosseum tailored specifically to your interest in ancient history, while someone else might get a story focusing on the architectural marvels of the same monument. AI, especially advanced large language models, holds the key to unlocking them,” Malikov said in the statment. “By processing and understanding vast amounts of information, AI can bring forth the hidden stories, nuances, and cultural insights in a personal level on every corner of the globe.

>>Vipio, an online booking platform for specialty vacation rentals, has raised $4.3 million (€4 million) from NOM.  

Netherlands-based Vipio said it focuses on specialty properties throughout Europe, such as tree houses, castles, beach houses, cottages, and windmills. The company said it recently added Freddie Mercury’s former vacation home to the mix. The startup said it accepts about 5% of properties that apply to be listed on the platform. 

“I happened to be looking with my son for a really special accommodation for a weekend away together. Finally, with a lot of effort, I found something on a camping website and figured that a specialized platform could have helped me here. Thus, Vipio was born,” said René Schoenmakers, CEO and co-founder of Vipio, in a statement. 

Prices range from €50 to €10,000 per night. 

The startup said it has made bookings for more than 100,000 people since it was founded in 2020.

The funding will go toward improving the platform, accelerating international growth, and hiring for the software, marketing, and sales departments.

>>Caravelo, which builds traveler subscription services for airlines, has raised $3.7 million (€3.5 million) in series A funding. It was led by Samaipata with participation from Adara Ventures and other existing investors.

The Barcelona-based