Cat Jones’ Post

Massive congratulations to HERmesa portfolio company Byway and CEO and Founder Cat Jones on raising a £5m oversubscribed Series A funding round! Byway is the first tech platform for 100% flight free holidays. Byway makes it easy to go on multi-stop, journey-based holidays that are fully personalised to the holidaymakers’ interests and take in destinations off the beaten track. We are so proud of how far Byway has come since HERmesa first invested in its pre-seed round in March 2021. Back then, we saw a hugely impressive founder in Cat Jones and a significant market opportunity in slow travel, with Byway as the first mover... but Cat was still biking tickets across town herself to ensure the on-time departure of her first customers! Fast forward 3 1/2 years and Byway has served well over 4,000 customers with a whopping 95% giving 5 star reviews. What’s more, Byway customers have saved 3,045 tonnes of carbon versus flying which is the equivalent of 18,270 trees. HERMESA investors invest for both profit and purpose and Byway is hugely delivering on both. We spoke with the brilliant Cat Jones CEO and Founder of Byway about her successful fundraise and why she wanted HERMESA investors on her cap table ... even for her over-subscribed Series A round! Q: What are some of the things that the funds from this round will enable you to do? The funds will be used to accelerate the development of Byway’s unique journey-planning technology, JourneyAI, and to fuel its expansion into new regions. Q: Why did you want HERMESA on your cap table?  HERmesa angels have been fabulously helpful since HERmesa first invested in our pre seed, lending expertise by joining advisory groups to support our leadership team and welcoming us to their events. Diversity of thought is crucial to the success of any company. Being a female founded B Corp, having a female-forward and diversity-focused investment network on our cap table is something we're hugely proud of and thankful for. HERmesa investors are very excited to continue to support Byway on its mission to make flight-free travel mainstream. And if you haven’t booked your summer holiday yet, why not have a look on https://www.byway.travel/ for a fabulous multi-stop sustainable trip to destinations off the beaten track? Olga Pantelyat Sneh Shah Emma Blackburn Deborah Gruenberger Zahra Subjally Mikko Hautanen Fei Chin Kaw Sara Tateno Reema Desai Nisha Uduwawela Dolapo Adeyemi Glenda Levin Tatyana Staneva Mandeep Gill Machela Sathekga Tammy Hongyu H. Joanna C. Hannah Grinsted Symmie Swil Stephanie Wetmore Carla F. Avila

Citymapper, Airalo, Uber, Holibob and GetGoing are some of the most important startups in the travel management industry. Companies that are helping to simplify and optimize business travel around the globe and tools that you might want to learn more about if you're not familiar with them already. Find out the full startups list here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dTrQtx_M #GetGoing #GoGetIt #TravelManagement #BusinessTravel #TravelSmart

Venture Capital News - Venture Capital News Headlines

Reflecting on my Journey as the Founder of The Travel Market🚀 Hey LinkedIn fam! 👋 I am pretty excited to share a bit of my personal journey with you all. The road to founding Tripfest has been nothing short of an incredible adventure, and I'm thrilled to bring you along for the ride. The Spark of Inspiration: It all started with a deep passion and burning desire to create something that will ease, make accessible, and connect travelers (which we fondly call Trippers) to amazing travel services at a simple glance. The Big Idea: The lightbulb moment struck when I realized that there was an opportunity to redefine the travel industry. I envisioned a company that goes beyond the conventional travel companies we have around. The focus was solely on getting trippers linked to amazing deals, so I focused on building a company that harbors all those amazing deals from different travel agencies. Think of it as the “The Travel Market for Nigerians”. Tripfest isn't just limited to one agency, it looked at working with all reputable travel companies in the country. Turning Dreams into Reality: Transforming this vision into reality required a mix of determination, strategic planning, partnerships, and a willingness to embrace the unknown. From drafting business plans to assembling an amazing team, every step was and is currently about resilience and creativity. Building a Team: A venture is only as strong as the people behind it. I'm fortunate to have a team that shares the same passion and dedication. Together, we bring a diverse set of skills and perspectives, enriching the fabric of Tripfest Overcoming Challenges: No journey is without its challenges. Navigating through uncertainties, adapting to market dynamics, the ever changing forex rates, and staying true to our values were crucial aspects. Each hurdle became an opportunity to learn and grow. Gratitude and Looking Ahead: As I stand on the threshold of this exciting venture, I'm immensely grateful for the support of mentors, friends, and family. Thank you for believing in the vision of Tripfest. The journey has just begun, and I can't wait to see where it takes us! Join Us on the Adventure: Whether you're a fellow entrepreneur, a travel enthusiast, or someone curious about Tripfest, I invite you to be part of this journey. Follow us on all social media platforms for updates, stories, and a dose of wanderlust. Cheers to exploration, discovery, and the extraordinary experiences that lie ahead! 🌏✨ #FounderStory #Entrepreneurship #TravelDreams #JourneyBegins #tripfest #linkedin

Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2024 Spotlight ✨ Deal Engine uses artificial intelligence to streamline labor-intensive back office operations. Learn more about Deal Engine on #PhocusWire: https://bit.ly/40LfonM #travelnews #travelindustrynews #travelindustry #travelstartup #hot25travelstartups #startup

Hats off to Bob W. W for their inclusion in TechRound’s list of Top TravelTech Startups to Watch in 2023! 🤝 Bob W. W’s journey of innovation and disruption in the travel industry has been nothing short of extraordinary. Their relentless pursuit of excellence and commitment to redefining travel experiences have earned them a well-deserved spot among the top startups to watch this year. In an era where travel innovation is more critical than ever, Bob W. W's cutting-edge technology, user-centric approach, and commitment to seamless travel experiences are inspiring. They have proven that disruptive ideas, backed by unwavering determination, can shape the future of an entire industry. Read the full article below: #IDCV #BobW #FutureOfTravel

"What is TrovaTrip?" - it all starts there. In our Trova 101 series, we'll be explaining everything you need to know, whether you're a Host, a Traveler, or just someone who's curious about learning more. #TrovaTrip #Travel #GroupTravel #WorldTravel #Startup #PDX

Learn what's next for Direct Travel after its acquisition by a VC name in the corporate travel space.

The travel industry is inherently diverse, with a myriad of niches and evolving consumer preferences. This diversity creates fertile ground for early-stage startups to thrive within specific niches within the broader TravelTech landscape.

🛫 Unsurprisingly, there are multiple Asia travel startups with exceptional services and growth. From curated experiences to unique offerings, the startups in today’s letter are changing the travel industry landscape. These companies also overcame the unprecedented hardships of COVID-19, which makes them even more noteworthy. - Jinsoo Choi 1. 마이리얼트립 (Myrealtrip) 2. Klook 3. Anyplace 4. LuxStay 5. Tripfez Travel