Investor proposal
Our unique matching strategy monetizes strong global travel trends and realize the huge potential in the ever-increasing number of travellers seeking new experiences. With our experienced team and skillful partners, we aim to reach 100.000 members with at least 500.000 registered interests in a year, and break-even in three years.
Become part of the new disruptive way to travel. The minimum amount is €201 (85 shares), and we aim to reach €175.000 for 10% of the company.
Idea
The problem this product solves
There is a clear gap on the travel scene for a service where travellers can find people and activities based on shared interests. Traditional agencies and search engines are often too square-minded and not at all focused on your passions. They won’t find the new cool places and the local people that you are looking for.
How the product solves it
We’ve created a free solution available on all devices – a matching platform based solely on your interests. You search for and find locals or other travellers, to meet on your journey or in your hometown. After finding a match, the two of you decide on an activity. You might go on a sightseeing tour, play golf, go shopping, or have dinner. The possibilities are endless.
We invite a great variety of people to the platform – amateur locals and hosts, professional guides, local companies and activity gear, such as bikes and canoes – to boost meet-ups and business opportunities.
Gallery
Product
Product features
Notable service features are:
- 100% free to use – for amateur hosts as well as the visit industry. We only charge a service fee when there is a booking and buying of an activity.
- Total control – All members, amateurs as businesses get their dashboard with complete control of what happens on the platform.
- Landing pages – Members can generate their own promotional webpage marketing their activities.
- Agents – We let people and businesses become agents and share the revenues.
- Origin – Developed in Stockholm with Swedish ideals of quality and simplicity integrated into the concept and the organization.
Product use cases
When for example Bernie and Mars plan their trip to the Scottish highlands they make a request for golfing and horseback riding, as well as outstanding culture events. They getinvitations back from several people in each requested interest. They make validations and contact preferred matches.
Finally, when the costs and timing are settled, the opportunity to book flights,accommodations and rental cars appears. A few weeks later they share the perfect vacation together with new local friends, and return home full of new memories. Their ratings make the experience even better for the next user.
Market
Target Market
Characteristics of our target group are curiousity, experience thirst, and a global citizen mentality. This group is not limited to any specific age range, income level, or family situation. They care about who they meet, what they eat, drink, and are determined to explore. Previously, they’ve been enjoying couch surfing, Airbnb, Uber, and several other sharing economy phenomena.
The travel market is huge and growing significantly. In fact, tourism represents 9% of the global GDP, and grows some 4% annually. Although our slice of the global visit experience market will remain small, our sales potential is tremendous.
Competitive landscape
Although we see ourselves as a disruptive challenger to existing services, Travellersmatch belongs in the sharing experiences category. The global market size of this category is huge, and continues to grow. Several others target this group, such as:
- airbnb.com/experience
- vayable.com, sidestory.co
- guideadvisor.com,
However, only Travellersmatch focuses on what-to-do matching and mixing amateurs with professionals.
Unique selling points:
- Guides and hosts, amateurs, and professionals share the platform.
- Matching focused on people’s shared interests and passions.
- Agents get a chance to share revenues.
Existing selling points:
- Give people a chance to share knowledge and earn some extra.
Unique differentiator from competitors
Travellersmatch is unique in the way of matching, as we are fully focused on people’s interests. You find likeminded people and can together explore experiences both stronger and funnier. To recruit we have two target groups:
- Geographical visit agents recruit all types of people and local Co’s. They can also be responsible for regions or destinations.
- Theme interests agents recruit specific interest groups, from big like golfers, skiers, divers, bikers, runners, and fishers to smaller like war veterans, mushroom pickers, and train spotters.
Integrating the two groups above in one platform enables matching based on all your shared interests.
Business Model
Company revenue streams
Travellersmatch has three differentiated revenue streams:
- Service fee: 6% – During the fall 2016 we start charging our meet-ups with a 6% service fee when booking and another 6% when the meet-up occurs.
- Kickbacks: 5-12% – Travel services, hotels/transports/rentals giving kickbacks of bookings we redirect, from late 2016.
- Advertising – Interest-driven advertising gives click rate.
Travellersmatch focus on members registered interests. Every member choose between 5-25 favourite interests and that gives us and the industry the possibility to target information and tailor-made offers.
Product/service distribution
Travellersmatch will initially be marketed mainly through social media and partner networks in Scandinavia. Our agent network will work closely with and use local organisations and businesses. University recruiting campaigns will build a backbone of local activities. Contacts inside interest groups gives direct response.
We have discussions with interested and dedicated visit agents for Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Norway, Austria, US, UK and Australia.
The developed templates for marketing, brand identity and external communications, whether for Sweden or abroad, will be based in our Swedish headquarter, and we will supply extensive brand platform support and sales material templates to international agents.
Execution
Previous milestones/traction
2014
- Concept sketches.
- Focus group testings and surveys.
- Platform development starting October.
- Private funding 700.000 SEK.
2015
- Platform development continues with more competence added.
- Organisation set up.
- Private funding 500.000 SEK.
2016 (before external funding)
- Platform development and design continued.
- Organisation expanding with agent recruiting.
- Launch of beta version platform.
- Activating visit destination agents, universities, and member networks.
- Private funding 250.000 SEK.
Next key objectives
2016 (after external funding)
- Platform development speeds up + front end for optimization.
- Organisation expansion + content and support.
- Engage a strong advisory board with expertise in pin-pointed areas.
- Sign up a few but invaluable board members, preferably from the travel industry to open up partnerships and merger opportunities.
- Strengthen the financial network with partners for planned exit or merger.
- Ensure both national and international coverage.
2017
- New financing round will be launched.
- Selectively target the international expansion, get a foothold in a total of 3-5 areas/countries.
- Accelerate growth in the established markets, based on 2016 earnings.
Previous Financing
As of today, Travellersmatch has received funding of 1,5 MSEK from founders private and private network investments. We also have an indirect resource funding by Ogilvy Digital Services that enables net costs on labour and free office space. The management team and the board are all shareholders.
Partnerships
Our business model has a focus on platform usability, marketing, and agent recruitment. All other business activities, such as tech, logistics, and payments, are outsourced to our business partners.
To help us drive membership recruitment, our agents in areas like Åre, Gotland and the theme Golf, national and abroad, are crucial. Mondido payments, tourn-blog network, IZettle, Studentkortet and other great channels support the cause.
Our tech partner – Ogilvy Digital Services stands for total stability and resource funding in skills and location.
Industry Recognition
Industry Certification/Awards
Travellersmatch has already, even before launch, attracted a lot of attention from the travel industry for the way we work and think. To us, this is an obvious sign of market validation.
Use of Funds
- Focus on growth in marketing and recruitment areas as well as sales.
- Reach nearest goals: 500.000 interest nodes from 50.000-100.000 members, 8-10 visit destination agents and 3-6 theme agents onboard plus 3-6 travel service agreements.
- Continued user case development of tech platform.
- Set up of an improved advisory board with skills in critical areas.
- Finance competence securing operating capital for high growth.
- Aggressive PR activities – well-known profiles inviting to humorously packaged activities.
We aim to redefine sharing experiences by passionate meet-ups between people and make an IPO in 3-5 years.
Team
Pelle Larås
CMO and CO Founder
After a first stint of starting up travel service Lion Alpin, Pelle spent 8 years with Vingresor in the in marketing and sales. That journey took him through different roles in many locations, and gave him on- the-ground experience in the travel industry. From travel to marketing at Kinnevik and Ogilvy and further on as head of marketing for Holiday Club in Åre as well as Åre Destination. Successful stories changing the routes from a winter destination to a all year round business. Changing projects up in South Lapland where the first Travellersmatch idea was born in the marketing campaign ”Get to know us” using local ambassadors at the destination. All this experience has given Pelle deep insights within the international travel industry, from visit driven and operational challenges to strategic marketing issues and technology, and has given him an extraordinary contact network. Having spent considerate time and money taking Travellersmatch from an idea stage to its current beta version. Pelle is committed as one of the main shareholders. Reach Pelle: +46 73 434 74 24 /
pelle.laras@travellersmatch.com
Björn Saletti
CEO and CO Founder
Entrepreneur in marketing and CEO, always with a focus on creative side on development and with an extensive experience and success in business set-up, design strategies and brand building, Björn has worked within retail, hotels- and visit industry, international media and marketing. With inside experience from companies such as Ogilvy, Björn is skilled in understanding the big picture and move teams forward to reach the overall objectives. He has been part of the destination successes in Åre, VM2007, South Lapland and Holiday Club. He is a main shareholder in Ogilvy Digital services which runs the tech side of Travellersmatch. Björn is committed as a main shareholder. Reach Björn: +46 70 543 64 88 /
bjorn.saletti@travellersmatch.com
Tim is a senior web professional with 10+ years experience in a variety of projects for
start-ups, small companies, public sector and blue chip organisations. Certified Scrum Master. Comprehensive development skills in standards-based HTML, CSS and JavaScript built on a variety of backend systems including Java, PHP and Ruby on Rails. Extensive and in-depth knowledge of WordPress having developed a number of custom themes and plugins. A passion for front-end tech and usability accompanied with the knowledge and understanding of the full web technology stack and project life-cycle including version control, testing, continuous integration and deployment. Proven leadership skills as the Faculty Lead for 30 front-end developers, in technical project management, mentoring and recruitment. University educated with a Master of Science degree in Technology and Innovation Management before getting into the developing highway. That gives him an outstanding wide eyed view. Extremely practical for Travellersmatch. Tim is committed as a.
Robin Saletti
Project manager
Robin has a true entrepreneurial spirit and drive. His young experience ranges from strategic content marketing to brand design in the digital industry. From formulating new concepts to hands on copy and image design. Robin is committed as a shareholder.
Jonas Öström
Full stack dev
With the interest and passion for digitalisation and entrepreneurial projects he commits full to our team. One of our RoR guys. Jonas is committed to the project as a shareholder.
Liam Saletti
Design strategy
Liam adds a broader view of design studies into the developing. As an master industrial designer he structures user ability to the max. Liam is committed as a shareholder.
Fredrik Lundgren
Frontend / UX
Fredrik simplifies solutions in the digital world. Makes it nicer and more understandable. One of our design guys. Fredrik is committed to the project as a shareholder.