3 Berlin start-ups for the international traveller — with recent funding
3 innovation and digital news in 1 minute. Every Monday. Episode 369
NUMA- Digital hospitality with own technology
Berlin-based NUMA (Numastays) calls itself “a digital hospitality platform”. For guests, it means a fully digital booking and staying experience. In modern short-term rental apartments in major European cities. VCs invest because NUMA owns the technology and infrastructure — from software to brand. A scalable ecosystem. Most recently raised €55m (adding to €119m total) funding for further growth. Opinion: NUMA established a unique position in the market. Is it another case like WeWork, of a real estate operator selling itself as a technology company to raise capital? We will see, for now, VCs invest in it, but it is far from crazy funding like WeWork.
Modern travellers and VCs like the NUMA concept!
WeRoad — group trips, organised by travellers, a trend
WeRoad is a Milan-based (with office at Betahaus Berlin) travel startup, organising group travels for millennials. Organised trips in small groups are a travel trend right now, especially among millennials and GenZ. These trips are curated and led by what WeRoad calls “travel coordinators”, freelance guides who are mostly travellers themselves. In November 2023 raised new €18m funding for expansion. Opinion: Tours are designed to connect travellers and make friends. Building a community of travellers, also on social media (Instagram with 100,000s of followers). Trips are characterised by a mood score — of to which degree a mood fits a participant (e.g. this trip is 20% on the party score and 70% beach score). Anyone can be a freelance travel coordinator and organise trips (choose dates, destination, itinerary etc.), 8 to 15 travellers join the trip.
What would be your itinerary as a WeRoad coordinator? Let the journey begin!
Blacklane is Uber, but for a high-end niche
Blacklane, headquartered in Berlin, offers luxury chauffeur services. High-end vehicles (e.g. Mercedes limousine), with drivers and additional services like in-car wi-fi. Main use-case is airport transfers, e.g. trip from JFK to Manhattan for $200 to $300. Blacklane plans to use primarily electric vehicles by 2025. With recent €34m funding from Sixt, for growth, mainly in North America. Opinion: Chauffeur service and luxury vehicle airport transfers, a niche market. Also Uber competes with its Uber Black (Uber’s best-rated drivers in premium vehicles) offering. The service appeals to a niche clientele seeking more than a premium ride.
Can Blacklane take this niche for itself?
