Startup Level: StayNow needs to simplify shuttle making plans

StayNow

Powered via synthetic intelligence (AI), StayNow is described as a “entire journey ecosystem,” serving to vacationers create itineraries, collaborate with their fellow vacationers, in finding native stories and extra.

StayNow was once based in 2023 and operates as each a travel-planning hub and a reserving platform.

What’s your 30-second pitch to traders?

StayNow is an AI-powered journey hub designed to take the chaos out of making plans journeys.

As an alternative of juggling spreadsheets, staff chats and part a dozen apps, vacationers get the whole lot in a single position. With NowAI—our proprietary journey assistant—vacationers obtain curated itineraries, staff consensus gear and direct get right of entry to to distinctive motels and native companies.

We’re addressing a $1.2 trillion international lodge marketplace with a differentiated style that blends AI personalization, unique network evaluations and powerful hospitality partnerships.

Describe each the industry and era facets of your startup.

Trade: StayNow operates as a reserving platform and travel-planning hub, constructed to glue vacationers with boutique motels, eating places and unique native stories. Our style generates income by way of commissions, with further alternatives in loyalty, memberships and partnerships as we scale.

Era: On the center of the platform is NowAI, a conversational AI assistant built-in at once into StayNow’s ecosystem. It collects traveler personal tastes (with privateness controls), processes them towards reside reserving APIs and delivers real-time effects: adapted itineraries, price-checked bookings and staff resolution reinforce. Our stack combines:

• AI-driven personalization constructed on a proprietary wisdom base
• A strong privateness engine for staff shuttle making plans
• Direct integrations with primary hospitality techniques reminiscent of Cloudbeds, SiteMinder, Mews, Sabre, Oracle, and WEX

Give us your SWOT research.

Strengths

• AI engine purpose-built for journey, now not retrofitted from generic gear
• Distinctive and seamless staff journey coordination with integrated budgeting gear
• Early traction in beta with 2k+ motels built-in and get right of entry to to 50k houses and 1.7k traveler accounts created
• Founding crew with confirmed experience in hospitality, AI and go-to-market execution
• Transparent logo values: moral duty, pleasure within the adventure, empowerment and monetary stewardship

Weaknesses

• Emblem consciousness remains to be in early levels in comparison to entrenched journey avid gamers
• Reliance on assets integrations for stock intensity
• Restricted advertising and marketing spend at this degree

Alternatives

• Rising call for for unique, experience-led journey amongst millennials and Gen Z
• Expanding shopper convenience with AI-driven personalization
• Untapped phase of unbiased motels in search of extra autonomy and visibility

Threats

• Aggressive force from OTAs and Airbnb making an investment in AI
• Regulatory adjustments impacting the journey and accommodation sector
• Want to incessantly care for agree with in evaluations and proposals

What are the journey ache issues you are attempting to relieve from each the buyer and the business viewpoint?

For vacationers, making plans continuously appears like paintings—six apps, unending scrolling and conflicting staff texts. Choice fatigue and unverified evaluations make it worse. StayNow simplifies this via providing one position to plot, chat, ballot, ebook or even cut up prices.

For hoteliers and native companies, the problem is visibility and regulate. Maximum platforms are geared in opposition to paid promotions, giving greater manufacturers overwhelming regulate of effects pages. StayNow needs to polish a gentle on native companies which can be offering remarkable stories, serving to them achieve the appropriate vacationers, construct lasting relationships and pay decrease commissions as opposed to different competing platforms.

So that you’ve were given the product, now how are you going to get a number of shoppers?

We’re coming into the marketplace with a phased technique:

1. Vacation spot pilots in Monterey, Lake Tahoe and Napa to check and refine acquisition techniques
2. App-store promotions, influencer partnerships, and social storytelling to construct consciousness and credibility
3. Go-promotion with motels and native companions that have the benefit of using their very own visitors to StayNow

The way balances potency with scale, construction momentum by way of unique, community-driven enlargement.

Let us know what procedure you’ve long gone by way of to ascertain a real want to your corporate and the dimensions of the addressable marketplace.

We validated call for by way of analysis, trying out, and traction:

• Research display 53% of vacationers in finding making plans extra annoying than the shuttle itself.
• UCLA and AMEX reviews spotlight how too many possible choices cut back follow-through.
• 83% of millennials/Gen Z in finding generative AI helpful for reserving journey and 80% use apps or social media to plot.
• Vacationers are keen to pay subscriptions if the gear equipped make making plans and follow-through more uncomplicated.
• Beta trying out of NowAI and staff making plans options delivered sturdy comments and adoption.
• The worldwide lodge marketplace is valued at $1.2 trillion, with the OTA marketplace within the U.S. by myself estimated at $230 billion.

How and when will you are making cash?

Our core income to begin with comes from reserving commissions by way of direct lodge and assets control techniques (PMS) integrations. Secondary levers come with doable top rate memberships and logo partnerships that wish to put it up for sale to precise traveler markets (e.g. Patagonia advertising and marketing to doable Tahoe vacationers).

What are the backgrounds and former achievements of the founding crew?

• Romal ‘RJ’ Jayswal, CEO: Hospitality entrepreneur with deep PMS integration experience and a observe report in lodge operations

• Saawan Patel, CTO: Technologist focusing on AI personalization and scalable cloud answers

• Sidd Raj, CPO: Lodge era and partnerships chief with sturdy business relationships

• Ami Patel, CMO & govt marketing consultant: Veteran strategist in logo construction and enlargement, with trip main corporations to profitability and a hit exits

How have you ever addressed variety and inclusion inside of your online business?

StayNow is dedicated to construction an organization and network that displays numerous views. That begins with our crew, which is unfold throughout 3 continents and brings in combination other cultural {and professional} backgrounds.

This extends into how we constitute vacationers in our advertising and marketing. We consider journey can also be transformational—broadening views, sparking connection and reminding us of our shared humanity. At the product facet, we prioritize accessibility and inclusivity—from supporting small and unbiased companies to designing options that let a variety of vacationers to search out stories that really feel unique to them, now not the journey business.

What’s been essentially the most tricky a part of founding the industry to this point?

The toughest phase has been honing in at the precise combat we wish to battle. We temporarily discovered that the actual friction in journey isn’t almost about clicking “ebook”—it’s about seek paralysis. With unending choices, vacationers battle to transport from inspiration to motion.

That problem is amplified in staff journey, the place more than one voices and personal tastes make decision-making even tougher. On most sensible of that, the connection between motels and visitors has transform fragmented. One in all our largest targets is to sew that connection again in combination—to remind either side they’re at the identical crew, and to construct gear that mirror that shared passion.

Normally, journey startups face a quite tricky time making an affect—so why are you going to be one of the crucial fortunate ones?

As a result of we’re now not looking to outspend incumbents on advertisements or search engine optimization.

StayNow is carving out a brand new class: the AI journey better half. By way of that specialize in personalization, unique connections and traveler agree with, we’re tapping into the values that subject maximum to the following technology of vacationers. Our traction with motels, early adoption from vacationers and powerful product-market are compatible level towards long-term endurance.

A yr from now, what state do you assume your startup might be in?

By way of mid-2026, StayNow may have:

• 20+ curated locations reside
• 3k direct-connect houses built-in
• 100k+ registered vacationers, with significant repeat bookings
• A Sequence A elevate finished to make bigger enlargement

What’s your end-game?

StayNow’s imaginative and prescient is to outline and lead the “AI journey better half” class. That would imply scaling towards an IPO or becoming a member of forces with any other hospitality/journey logo by way of acquisition. Both trail aligns with our function: to transform the go-to hub for unique, AI-powered journey.

StayNow

Powered via synthetic intelligence (AI), StayNow is described as a “entire journey ecosystem,” serving to vacationers create itineraries, collaborate with their fellow vacationers, in finding native stories and extra.

StayNow was once based in 2023 and operates as each a travel-planning hub and a reserving platform.

What’s your 30-second pitch to traders?

StayNow is an AI-powered journey hub designed to take the chaos out of making plans journeys.

As an alternative of juggling spreadsheets, staff chats and part a dozen apps, vacationers get the whole lot in a single position. With NowAI—our proprietary journey assistant—vacationers obtain curated itineraries, staff consensus gear and direct get right of entry to to distinctive motels and native companies.

We’re addressing a $1.2 trillion international lodge marketplace with a differentiated style that blends AI personalization, unique network evaluations and powerful hospitality partnerships.

Describe each the industry and era facets of your startup.

Trade: StayNow operates as a reserving platform and travel-planning hub, constructed to glue vacationers with boutique motels, eating places and unique native stories. Our style generates income by way of commissions, with further alternatives in loyalty, memberships and partnerships as we scale.

Era: On the center of the platform is NowAI, a conversational AI assistant built-in at once into StayNow’s ecosystem. It collects traveler personal tastes (with privateness controls), processes them towards reside reserving APIs and delivers real-time effects: adapted itineraries, price-checked bookings and staff resolution reinforce. Our stack combines:

• AI-driven personalization constructed on a proprietary wisdom base
• A strong privateness engine for staff shuttle making plans
• Direct integrations with primary hospitality techniques reminiscent of Cloudbeds, SiteMinder, Mews, Sabre, Oracle, and WEX

Give us your SWOT research.

Strengths

• AI engine purpose-built for journey, now not retrofitted from generic gear
• Distinctive and seamless staff journey coordination with integrated budgeting gear
• Early traction in beta with 2k+ motels built-in and get right of entry to to 50k houses and 1.7k traveler accounts created
• Founding crew with confirmed experience in hospitality, AI and go-to-market execution
• Transparent logo values: moral duty, pleasure within the adventure, empowerment and monetary stewardship

Weaknesses

• Emblem consciousness remains to be in early levels in comparison to entrenched journey avid gamers
• Reliance on assets integrations for stock intensity
• Restricted advertising and marketing spend at this degree

Alternatives

• Rising call for for unique, experience-led journey amongst millennials and Gen Z
• Expanding shopper convenience with AI-driven personalization
• Untapped phase of unbiased motels in search of extra autonomy and visibility

Threats

• Aggressive force from OTAs and Airbnb making an investment in AI
• Regulatory adjustments impacting the journey and accommodation sector
• Want to incessantly care for agree with in evaluations and proposals

What are the journey ache issues you are attempting to relieve from each the buyer and the business viewpoint?

For vacationers, making plans continuously appears like paintings—six apps, unending scrolling and conflicting staff texts. Choice fatigue and unverified evaluations make it worse. StayNow simplifies this via providing one position to plot, chat, ballot, ebook or even cut up prices.

For hoteliers and native companies, the problem is visibility and regulate. Maximum platforms are geared in opposition to paid promotions, giving greater manufacturers overwhelming regulate of effects pages. StayNow needs to polish a gentle on native companies which can be offering remarkable stories, serving to them achieve the appropriate vacationers, construct lasting relationships and pay decrease commissions as opposed to different competing platforms.

So that you’ve were given the product, now how are you going to get a number of shoppers?

We’re coming into the marketplace with a phased technique:

1. Vacation spot pilots in Monterey, Lake Tahoe and Napa to check and refine acquisition techniques
2. App-store promotions, influencer partnerships, and social storytelling to construct consciousness and credibility
3. Go-promotion with motels and native companions that have the benefit of using their very own visitors to StayNow

The way balances potency with scale, construction momentum by way of unique, community-driven enlargement.

Let us know what procedure you’ve long gone by way of to ascertain a real want to your corporate and the dimensions of the addressable marketplace.

We validated call for by way of analysis, trying out, and traction:

• Research display 53% of vacationers in finding making plans extra annoying than the shuttle itself.
• UCLA and AMEX reviews spotlight how too many possible choices cut back follow-through.
• 83% of millennials/Gen Z in finding generative AI helpful for reserving journey and 80% use apps or social media to plot.
• Vacationers are keen to pay subscriptions if the gear equipped make making plans and follow-through more uncomplicated.
• Beta trying out of NowAI and staff making plans options delivered sturdy comments and adoption.
• The worldwide lodge marketplace is valued at $1.2 trillion, with the OTA marketplace within the U.S. by myself estimated at $230 billion.

How and when will you are making cash?

Our core income to begin with comes from reserving commissions by way of direct lodge and assets control techniques (PMS) integrations. Secondary levers come with doable top rate memberships and logo partnerships that wish to put it up for sale to precise traveler markets (e.g. Patagonia advertising and marketing to doable Tahoe vacationers).

What are the backgrounds and former achievements of the founding crew?

• Romal ‘RJ’ Jayswal, CEO: Hospitality entrepreneur with deep PMS integration experience and a observe report in lodge operations

• Saawan Patel, CTO: Technologist focusing on AI personalization and scalable cloud answers

• Sidd Raj, CPO: Lodge era and partnerships chief with sturdy business relationships

• Ami Patel, CMO & govt marketing consultant: Veteran strategist in logo construction and enlargement, with trip main corporations to profitability and a hit exits

How have you ever addressed variety and inclusion inside of your online business?

StayNow is dedicated to construction an organization and network that displays numerous views. That begins with our crew, which is unfold throughout 3 continents and brings in combination other cultural {and professional} backgrounds.

This extends into how we constitute vacationers in our advertising and marketing. We consider journey can also be transformational—broadening views, sparking connection and reminding us of our shared humanity. At the product facet, we prioritize accessibility and inclusivity—from supporting small and unbiased companies to designing options that let a variety of vacationers to search out stories that really feel unique to them, now not the journey business.

What’s been essentially the most tricky a part of founding the industry to this point?

The toughest phase has been honing in at the precise combat we wish to battle. We temporarily discovered that the actual friction in journey isn’t almost about clicking “ebook”—it’s about seek paralysis. With unending choices, vacationers battle to transport from inspiration to motion.

That problem is amplified in staff journey, the place more than one voices and personal tastes make decision-making even tougher. On most sensible of that, the connection between motels and visitors has transform fragmented. One in all our largest targets is to sew that connection again in combination—to remind either side they’re at the identical crew, and to construct gear that mirror that shared passion.

Normally, journey startups face a quite tricky time making an affect—so why are you going to be one of the crucial fortunate ones?

As a result of we’re now not looking to outspend incumbents on advertisements or search engine optimization.

StayNow is carving out a brand new class: the AI journey better half. By way of that specialize in personalization, unique connections and traveler agree with, we’re tapping into the values that subject maximum to the following technology of vacationers. Our traction with motels, early adoption from vacationers and powerful product-market are compatible level towards long-term endurance.

A yr from now, what state do you assume your startup might be in?

By way of mid-2026, StayNow may have:

• 20+ curated locations reside
• 3k direct-connect houses built-in
• 100k+ registered vacationers, with significant repeat bookings
• A Sequence A elevate finished to make bigger enlargement

What’s your end-game?

StayNow’s imaginative and prescient is to outline and lead the “AI journey better half” class. That would imply scaling towards an IPO or becoming a member of forces with any other hospitality/journey logo by way of acquisition. Both trail aligns with our function: to transform the go-to hub for unique, AI-powered journey.