Startup Level: Tickadoo desires to reinvent how vacationers uncover stories

Tickadoo

Powered through synthetic intelligence (AI), Tickadoo considers vacationers’ personal tastes, want and desires and provides “curated, bookable stories.” 

Based in 2023, Tickadoo could also be launching a subscription program, Tickadoo+, giving individuals unique get entry to and getting rid of reserving charges.

What’s your 30-second pitch to traders?

Tickadoo is fixing the ambiguity of contemporary commute: We have now endless choices however horrible decision-making. As an alternative of drowning customers in seek effects, we constructed an agentic AI that in truth understands
intent. You ask, “What do you wanna doo?” and get curated, bookable stories in seconds—now not hours of analysis.  

We are reside in 500+ towns with actual profit, sponsored through a group that is already moved over $1 billion in commute
bookings. This is not simply every other OTA with AI bolted on—it is the spontaneous journey layer the business has been looking ahead to.

Describe each the industry and generation sides of your startup.

The
tech stack has 3 core items: our proprietary agentic AI engine that learns consumer personal tastes and intent patterns, deep integrations with reside stock from international journey suppliers and a discovery interface designed round spontaneity slightly than
never-ending filtering.

What makes this other is that our AI does not simply counsel—it acts. It learns that you simply hate touristy stuff however love hidden speakeasies, that you simply want afternoon actions when you find yourself jet-lagged,
that you simply at all times be apologetic about now not reserving the quite dearer choice. Then it makes use of that intelligence proactively.

Trade-wise, we are commission-driven on bookings, with a Tickadoo+ subscription launching quickly, providing
unique get entry to and nil reserving charges. The type works as a result of we are using higher-value, last-minute bookings for our provide companions whilst fixing authentic friction for shoppers.

Give us your SWOT research.

• Strengths:
  We are post-revenue with a seasoned group that is been thru this ahead of. Our AI is purpose-built for commute discovery, now not tailored from different verticals. The emblem resonates: “What do you wanna doo?” sticks in folks’s heads. And we are already reside with
  really extensive stock intensity.
• Weaknesses: Client consciousness remains to be early-stage, and the cell app is not introduced but (even though that adjustments in This autumn). We are additionally nonetheless teaching the marketplace on what agentic AI in truth method.
• Alternatives:
  The AI-native commute house is large open. No one has cracked mood-based, spontaneous discovery at scale. There may be large attainable in associate partnerships, B2B licensing and writer collaborations. Plus, the post-pandemic commute mindset is easiest for what
  we are constructing.
• Threats: The massive avid gamers are transferring speedy so as to add AI options, and shopper expectancies round AI accuracy are nonetheless forming. We want to keep forward on each innovation and trust-building.

What
are the commute ache issues you are looking to alleviate?

For vacationers, it is resolution fatigue disguised as selection. Folks spend hours researching journeys, open 30+ tabs, learn conflicting evaluations and nonetheless finally end up not sure. The
spontaneous “let’s do one thing a laugh these days” journey has been utterly misplaced to research paralysis.

For the business, it is visibility and conversion. Wonderful native stories get buried below generic seek effects. Perishable
stock is going unsold as a result of discovery occurs too overdue. Personalization exists in idea however fails in observe as a result of maximum platforms do not in truth perceive particular person intent.

We are necessarily rebuilding the invention
layer to be emotional and clever slightly than mechanical and overwhelming.

Now that the product is constructed, what’s your technique for buyer acquisition?

Our enlargement technique combines natural
momentum with good partnerships. The search engine marketing play is powerful—we now have were given wealthy, experience-focused content material that individuals in truth wish to learn. Social plays smartly as a result of our logo is inherently shareable.

However the true acceleration
comes thru associates: motels recommending native stories to visitors, airways suggesting vacation spot actions, creators sharing curated town guides. We are additionally constructing referral incentives into Tickadoo+ that make word-of-mouth scalable.

The
logo itself is designed to be viral. “What do you wanna doo?” is memorable, a laugh and solves a day by day query for thousands and thousands of folks.

Let us know what procedure you might have long past thru to determine authentic want and marketplace measurement.

Prior to
writing a unmarried line of code, we interviewed 100+ vacationers about their reserving frustrations. The patterns have been transparent: data overload, loss of relevance, fragmented reserving trips and nil spontaneity within the discovery procedure.

We
additionally studied the numbers. Enjoy bookings constitute a $250 billion international marketplace that is rising quicker than lodging or flights. However the discovery layer remains to be caught in 2010—key phrase seek and static classes. There is a large alternative
for an AI-first way that in truth understands context and intent.

Our early metrics validate this. Customers who interact with our AI suggestions convert at 3x the velocity of conventional browse-and-search conduct.

How
and when will you’re making cash?

We already are. Each and every reserving thru our platform generates fee profit, and our conversion charges are sturdy as a result of we are surfacing extremely related, time-sensitive stories.

Tickadoo+
launches quickly as our subscription tier—unique get entry to, 0 reserving charges, customized concierge options. Longer-term, we see API licensing alternatives, logo partnerships and probably white-label answers for different commute corporations.

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

I co-founded and ran London Theatre Direct, which was some of the U.Ok.’s main ticketing platforms with over $1 billion in gross sales. Prior to that, I constructed
Audiama round immersive storytelling and location-based stories.

Our broader group brings journey from Amazon, Google and main OTAs. We perceive each the infrastructure demanding situations and the shopper psychology of
commute reserving. Crucially, we now have been in the course of the scaling adventure ahead of—we all know what works and what does not.

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

Variety feels herbal at Tickadoo slightly than pressured. Our group spans 4 continents with senior girls in key roles and management that displays other backgrounds, together with our homosexual founder (me!)

We’re reside in 50 languages promoting throughout all continents—that handiest works when your group displays that international fact.

This displays up in our product too. Our AI surfaces native tradition and helps smaller, steadily minority-owned companies that get buried below generic seek algorithms. While you’re constructing one thing really international, variety isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s crucial for luck.

What is been essentially the most tough a part of founding the industry thus far?

In truth?
Staying targeted. If you find yourself constructing AI for commute, the alternatives really feel endless. Lets take on flights, motels, eating places, occasions—the whole thing. The self-discipline has been staying laser-focused on our core wedge: agentic journey discovery. The
different problem is surroundings correct expectancies round AI. Folks both be expecting magic or suppose it is all hype. Development have faith whilst keeping up the part of wonder has required cautious calibration.

Why are you going to
be some of the fortunate ones?

As a result of we aren’t looking to be the whole thing to everybody. We are constructing the emotional layer between vacationers and stories—that is it. We have now actual profit, confirmed group journey and a differentiated
product that individuals in truth revel in the usage of.

Maximum commute startups fail as a result of they are preventing established avid gamers on their very own turf. We are developing new turf. The shift towards AI-native interfaces is inevitable, and we are
situated to guide it slightly than react to it.

A 12 months from now, what state do you assume your startup might be in?

• Cellular app totally introduced with masses of hundreds of energetic customers throughout
  750+ towns
• Tickadoo+ subscription rising abruptly 
• Deep partnerships with main resort chains and airways for associate discovery 
• More than likely some fascinating acquisition conversations, even though enlargement stays the
  number one center of attention

Most significantly, we will have confirmed that spontaneous, AI-driven commute discovery is not just a nice-to-have—it is the way forward for how folks in finding and ebook stories.  

What’s your endgame?

We are constructing an enduring shopper logo with severe generation beneath. If the correct strategic spouse emerges who can boost up our imaginative and prescient, we are open to these conversations. However the point of interest is on developing one thing in fact precious and enduring.

The commute business wishes extra corporations that put shopper pride first and determine the industry type moment. That is what we are constructing.

Tickadoo

Powered through synthetic intelligence (AI), Tickadoo considers vacationers’ personal tastes, want and desires and provides “curated, bookable stories.” 

Based in 2023, Tickadoo could also be launching a subscription program, Tickadoo+, giving individuals unique get entry to and getting rid of reserving charges.

What’s your 30-second pitch to traders?

Tickadoo is fixing the ambiguity of contemporary commute: We have now endless choices however horrible decision-making. As an alternative of drowning customers in seek effects, we constructed an agentic AI that in truth understands
intent. You ask, “What do you wanna doo?” and get curated, bookable stories in seconds—now not hours of analysis.  

We are reside in 500+ towns with actual profit, sponsored through a group that is already moved over $1 billion in commute
bookings. This is not simply every other OTA with AI bolted on—it is the spontaneous journey layer the business has been looking ahead to.

Describe each the industry and generation sides of your startup.

The
tech stack has 3 core items: our proprietary agentic AI engine that learns consumer personal tastes and intent patterns, deep integrations with reside stock from international journey suppliers and a discovery interface designed round spontaneity slightly than
never-ending filtering.

What makes this other is that our AI does not simply counsel—it acts. It learns that you simply hate touristy stuff however love hidden speakeasies, that you simply want afternoon actions when you find yourself jet-lagged,
that you simply at all times be apologetic about now not reserving the quite dearer choice. Then it makes use of that intelligence proactively.

Trade-wise, we are commission-driven on bookings, with a Tickadoo+ subscription launching quickly, providing
unique get entry to and nil reserving charges. The type works as a result of we are using higher-value, last-minute bookings for our provide companions whilst fixing authentic friction for shoppers.

Give us your SWOT research.

• Strengths:
  We are post-revenue with a seasoned group that is been thru this ahead of. Our AI is purpose-built for commute discovery, now not tailored from different verticals. The emblem resonates: “What do you wanna doo?” sticks in folks’s heads. And we are already reside with
  really extensive stock intensity.
• Weaknesses: Client consciousness remains to be early-stage, and the cell app is not introduced but (even though that adjustments in This autumn). We are additionally nonetheless teaching the marketplace on what agentic AI in truth method.
• Alternatives:
  The AI-native commute house is large open. No one has cracked mood-based, spontaneous discovery at scale. There may be large attainable in associate partnerships, B2B licensing and writer collaborations. Plus, the post-pandemic commute mindset is easiest for what
  we are constructing.
• Threats: The massive avid gamers are transferring speedy so as to add AI options, and shopper expectancies round AI accuracy are nonetheless forming. We want to keep forward on each innovation and trust-building.

What
are the commute ache issues you are looking to alleviate?

For vacationers, it is resolution fatigue disguised as selection. Folks spend hours researching journeys, open 30+ tabs, learn conflicting evaluations and nonetheless finally end up not sure. The
spontaneous “let’s do one thing a laugh these days” journey has been utterly misplaced to research paralysis.

For the business, it is visibility and conversion. Wonderful native stories get buried below generic seek effects. Perishable
stock is going unsold as a result of discovery occurs too overdue. Personalization exists in idea however fails in observe as a result of maximum platforms do not in truth perceive particular person intent.

We are necessarily rebuilding the invention
layer to be emotional and clever slightly than mechanical and overwhelming.

Now that the product is constructed, what’s your technique for buyer acquisition?

Our enlargement technique combines natural
momentum with good partnerships. The search engine marketing play is powerful—we now have were given wealthy, experience-focused content material that individuals in truth wish to learn. Social plays smartly as a result of our logo is inherently shareable.

However the true acceleration
comes thru associates: motels recommending native stories to visitors, airways suggesting vacation spot actions, creators sharing curated town guides. We are additionally constructing referral incentives into Tickadoo+ that make word-of-mouth scalable.

The
logo itself is designed to be viral. “What do you wanna doo?” is memorable, a laugh and solves a day by day query for thousands and thousands of folks.

Let us know what procedure you might have long past thru to determine authentic want and marketplace measurement.

Prior to
writing a unmarried line of code, we interviewed 100+ vacationers about their reserving frustrations. The patterns have been transparent: data overload, loss of relevance, fragmented reserving trips and nil spontaneity within the discovery procedure.

We
additionally studied the numbers. Enjoy bookings constitute a $250 billion international marketplace that is rising quicker than lodging or flights. However the discovery layer remains to be caught in 2010—key phrase seek and static classes. There is a large alternative
for an AI-first way that in truth understands context and intent.

Our early metrics validate this. Customers who interact with our AI suggestions convert at 3x the velocity of conventional browse-and-search conduct.

How
and when will you’re making cash?

We already are. Each and every reserving thru our platform generates fee profit, and our conversion charges are sturdy as a result of we are surfacing extremely related, time-sensitive stories.

Tickadoo+
launches quickly as our subscription tier—unique get entry to, 0 reserving charges, customized concierge options. Longer-term, we see API licensing alternatives, logo partnerships and probably white-label answers for different commute corporations.

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

I co-founded and ran London Theatre Direct, which was some of the U.Ok.’s main ticketing platforms with over $1 billion in gross sales. Prior to that, I constructed
Audiama round immersive storytelling and location-based stories.

Our broader group brings journey from Amazon, Google and main OTAs. We perceive each the infrastructure demanding situations and the shopper psychology of
commute reserving. Crucially, we now have been in the course of the scaling adventure ahead of—we all know what works and what does not.

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

Variety feels herbal at Tickadoo slightly than pressured. Our group spans 4 continents with senior girls in key roles and management that displays other backgrounds, together with our homosexual founder (me!)

We’re reside in 50 languages promoting throughout all continents—that handiest works when your group displays that international fact.

This displays up in our product too. Our AI surfaces native tradition and helps smaller, steadily minority-owned companies that get buried below generic seek algorithms. While you’re constructing one thing really international, variety isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s crucial for luck.

What is been essentially the most tough a part of founding the industry thus far?

In truth?
Staying targeted. If you find yourself constructing AI for commute, the alternatives really feel endless. Lets take on flights, motels, eating places, occasions—the whole thing. The self-discipline has been staying laser-focused on our core wedge: agentic journey discovery. The
different problem is surroundings correct expectancies round AI. Folks both be expecting magic or suppose it is all hype. Development have faith whilst keeping up the part of wonder has required cautious calibration.

Why are you going to
be some of the fortunate ones?

As a result of we aren’t looking to be the whole thing to everybody. We are constructing the emotional layer between vacationers and stories—that is it. We have now actual profit, confirmed group journey and a differentiated
product that individuals in truth revel in the usage of.

Maximum commute startups fail as a result of they are preventing established avid gamers on their very own turf. We are developing new turf. The shift towards AI-native interfaces is inevitable, and we are
situated to guide it slightly than react to it.

A 12 months from now, what state do you assume your startup might be in?

• Cellular app totally introduced with masses of hundreds of energetic customers throughout
  750+ towns
• Tickadoo+ subscription rising abruptly 
• Deep partnerships with main resort chains and airways for associate discovery 
• More than likely some fascinating acquisition conversations, even though enlargement stays the
  number one center of attention

Most significantly, we will have confirmed that spontaneous, AI-driven commute discovery is not just a nice-to-have—it is the way forward for how folks in finding and ebook stories.  

What’s your endgame?

We are constructing an enduring shopper logo with severe generation beneath. If the correct strategic spouse emerges who can boost up our imaginative and prescient, we are open to these conversations. However the point of interest is on developing one thing in fact precious and enduring.

The commute business wishes extra corporations that put shopper pride first and determine the industry type moment. That is what we are constructing.