Companies to Watch: NYC Travel & Hospitality Startups
Ahh, summer. A time when beaches fill up, the sun seems to shine brighter, and afternoons get lazy. But don’t tell that to the founders of these five travel and hospitality startups below.
New York-based travel startups have raised $354.7 million so far this year according to Crunchbase data, including funding rounds from three of the companies profiled below (Acai Travel, Journey, and SuiteOp). And since 2020, New York-based travel companies have raised $1.3 billion.
As travel (and the weather) heats up in the dog days of summer, we spoke with five founders who are innovating to improve travel and hospitality across the globe and doing anything but slowing down.
For this edition of Companies to Watch, meet:
Riccardo Vittoria (cofounder of Acai Travel)
Mita Carriman (founder of Adventurely)
John Sutton (founder of Journey)
Aaron Sekhri (cofounder of Le Walk)
Jean-Emmanuel Losi (cofounder of SuiteOp)
Acai Travel
“NYC is the perfect balance between great energy, thinkers, tech, and everything else that matters.”
What does your company do? What problem is it working to solve?
Acai Travel builds Agentic AI tools that give travel agents superpowers. We're not just answering questions, we're creating AI that acts, reasons, and solves real problems in complex travel workflows. From fare rules to supplier terms, our tech navigates the mess so humans don't have to. We’re proud to be the first to apply true Agentic AI in travel, bringing practical intelligence to an industry that’s been underserved by real automation for too long.
A question we like to ask every founder – why New York?
NYC is the perfect balance between great energy, thinkers, tech, and everything else that matters. Having previously started and sold an AI company here to American Express GBT [Global Business Travel], I've experienced firsthand how this city feeds into creative energy and strategic thinking. I get my best ideas while I'm home in NYC.
What's remarkable is how impressively the tech scene has grown here in the past 15 years — we're now not far away with Silicon Valley as the top tech hub, with the added advantage of being at the crossroads of every other industry and culture.
What challenges have you faced in integrating AI into the travel industry, and how have you overcome them?
The biggest challenge? Trust. Travel is full of edge cases, and people were burned by generic contact center AI. We had to prove our AI understood the space like a seasoned agent. Our AI powers deep backend operations—mission-critical processes most don’t fully understand. We pulled it off because we’re industry veterans. I previously sold a travel AI company to Amex GBT, and our exec team has decades in airline ops and call centers. We built for precision, not flash, and partnered early with great customers. Once agents saw it truly reduced their workload, buy-in came naturally.
What’s been the biggest surprise — good or bad — about building an AI company in the travel space?
The surprise has been how ready agents are for change, if you actually solve their problems. There’s a myth that travel is stuck in the past, but when you give someone a tool that saves them 5 to 25 minutes on every call or email, they don’t care if it’s AI or magic. They just want their work to be easier and focus on happy customers.
What makes your tech different from other AI chat or automation tools that travel companies might already be using?
Most tools are built for general customer support. We’re purpose-built for the most complex processes of online travel agencies, travel management companies and airlines. Our AI doesn’t just respond, it understands fare rules, GDS logic, mid-office logic, supplier policies, and all the exceptions that come with them. We work across platforms and channels, so agents don’t have to change how they work. That’s a huge unlock.
What’s a misconception people have about using AI in travel that you’re constantly trying to clear up?
The biggest misconception is that AI will steal your data and co-mingle it with other customers, not maintaining privacy. I always explain that LLMs are stateless machines — unless you fine-tune them, they don't remember anything from a previous conversation. Building safe, privacy-focused AI has never been easier.
In my previous companies, I had to train over customer data to provide value. Today I don't need that – we create very complex deep agentic workflows that reason across all scenarios and travel software, without needing base model training.
What are your self-care routines to recharge while still being heads down building a company?
I start each day without looking at my phone, just meditation and quiet to set the tone. It creates space to be grateful and set an operative system in my brain for love, care, and success. Tennis is my ultimate love and go-to master reset, but I also love to dance salsa, play piano with friends, MTB, and sailing. Building a company is intense, but staying grounded, mentally and physically, is non-negotiable if you want to lead with clarity.
Time for some New York-themed rapid fire questions — where’s your favorite place to grab a slice of pizza in New York?
Sottocasa in Harlem or in Brooklyn, a bit out of the way, but best pizza in NYC!
Where’s your favorite coffee shop in New York?
Actually, I don’t really drink coffee, nor alcohol, etc.... But my ultimate guilty pleasure is the Nutella-stuffed banana bread in Joe Coffee in Union square... ;)
Do you have a favorite spot to escape the noise of the city?
I live between Central Park and Riverside Park. I go play tennis there or just watch the water. Being there feels like a holiday, still just a few minutes away from the center of the world… They did a very good job landscaping those parks
What’s one piece of advice – that you’ve shared or was shared with you – on building a startup in New York City?
Get your business functions and executives in NYC, stay grounded in the brain frequencies that the city makes you resonate at, then build tech functions in fully owned subsidiaries in tech hubs abroad, which create financial gains and resilience. It worked for me very well in 2 startups already.
Upside/downside: You’ll end up spending lots of time abroad to set up and maintain the culture of the subsidiaries.
Adventurely
“I’m a proud native New Yorker, and New York will always be one of the most exciting cities in the world when it comes to the future of work and hospitality.”
What does your company do? What problem is it working to solve?
Adventurely is a global coworking membership that unlocks unlimited access to inspiring workspaces. Our partner network includes hotels, cowork studios, spas, restaurants, and third spaces where you can plug in and work remotely. No long-term contracts or subscriptions are required. You can pay as you go by booking day passes when and where you need them. Membership is free.
Flexible work is here to stay, but most people are still choosing between siloed memberships in coworking, wellness, or hospitality. Adventurely brings them all together, offering on-demand access to a variety of unique spaces that complement any work setup.
A question we like to ask every founder – why New York?
I’m a proud native New Yorker, and New York will always be one of the most exciting cities in the world when it comes to the future of work and hospitality. With Adventurely innovating at the intersection of both industries and my background here as a native, it was a natural decision to launch Adventurely here.
How do you choose which hotels, cafés, or coworking spaces make the cut for the platform?
We look for spaces that match the kind of experience today’s flexible worker is seeking: a thoughtful blend of atmosphere, accessibility, and quality. Our goal is to ensure users feel confident and comfortable wherever they choose to plug in.
What’s been the most surprising feedback you’ve gotten from users so far?
It's interesting hearing about some of the locations customers want. We recently had someone ask for a space in Romania, and we actually have one. Those moments remind us how global the appetite for flexible work really is.
How do you think Adventurely fits into the future of work — especially with remote and hybrid teams?
Adventurely offers the ultimate flexibility to work from anywhere, no matter your work style or setup.
For hybrid teams with a go-to office provided by their employer, Adventurely's free membership adds flexibility at no cost when employees travel for work.
For entrepreneurs, freelancers, or consultants already paying for a dedicated office space, we offer a way to break routine and try new workspaces without added commitment.
And for people who mostly work from home, we offer inspiring spaces to plug into when a change is needed or to try places that could be a longer-term fit.
Are there any new features or perks you’re especially excited to roll out soon on Adventurely?
Right now we're focused on welcoming more spaces to our network and crafting unique perks for each location. We recently launched a campaign with Long Island City Partnership to highlight a range of LIC workspaces in our network with great perks.
Some of those perks include gym use at The Boro Hotel and Hilton LIC, pickleball discounts at City Pickle LIC, eats at Greats of Craft, Ecuadorian bites at Zaruma Gold Coffee LIC, indoor rock climbing at BK Boulders Queensbridge, and local coffee discounts. Learn more at adventurely.app/longislandcity
What are your self-care routines to recharge while still being heads down building a company?
Honestly, work flexibility and having access to flexible workspaces have always been the foundation of my self-care. I’ve been self-employed for over 10 years — first with my own solo law practice in NY, and now with Adventurely.
Changing my environment helps me shift my mindset, refocus, and recharge when I need it. Even more so when a space offers wellness or fitness amenities or just a sense of calm. I believe everyone deserves access to that kind of reset, whether you’re building something of your own or showing up every day for a team.
Time for some New York-themed rapid fire questions — where’s your favorite place to grab a slice of pizza in New York?
Lucali’s in Carroll Gardens is my favorite pizza in NY.
Beebe’s is my runner up — the restaurant at the Boro Hotel in LIC, one of Adventurely’s workspace partners. They serve wood-fired pizzas and our day pass to work from The Boro Hotel includes a food credit there.
I’d also give honorable mention to Lucia in Soho - a great option when you’re in the neighborhood and need a quick slice on the go.
Where’s your favorite coffee shop in New York?
Zaruma Gold Coffee in Queens is my favorite. It’s a mother-owned café in Long Island City with a cozy, welcoming vibe rooted in Ecuadorian tradition and cuisine. The shop is named after the city of Zaruma in Ecuador, where they source their coffee directly. I love their specialty coffee drinks, especially their organic rose latte which is simply divine. And yes, they are a workspace partner on Adventurely!
Do you have a favorite spot to escape the noise of the city?
A few!
Green spaces I love include Prospect Park, Rockefeller Park, and of course Central Park.
For cultural spaces, I love visiting NYC museums, especially the Whitney.
For quiet workspaces — Nomadworks in Times Square is a great place to find calm. Also, Quest Workspace in FiDi; Hunters Point Studio in LIC and Belong NYC — a workspace in Soho with a nap pod and showers.
You can find day passes to all of those workspaces when you join Adventurely with a free membership.
For leisure escapes within a few hours of the city, I love trips upstate.
What’s one piece of advice – that you’ve shared or was shared with you – on building a startup in New York City?
NY is a city that thrives on ambition to the highest extent.
It can be a lot to take in that kind of energy 24/7, but if you approach it with curiosity and lean into it, you might be surprised by how far your ambition can take you.
Journey
“New York was the right fit for Journey for its access to talent, connection to real estate investors (who own hotels), and a rich history as the hub for some of the World’s most amazing hospitality businesses.”
What does your company do? What problem is it working to solve?
Journey is reimagining loyalty for independent hotels, luxury resorts, and private rentals. We’ve built the first Hospitality Experience Platform (HXP), using AI to personalize guest rewards and empower operators with real-time tools.
The problem? Over 40% of U.S. lodging lacks access to loyalty infrastructure. We’re changing that by helping properties drive direct bookings and deepen guest relationships, while giving travelers meaningful rewards at one-of-a-kind stays.
A question we like to ask every founder – why New York?
New York was the right fit for Journey for its access to talent, connection to real estate investors (who own hotels), and a rich history as the hub for some of the World’s most amazing hospitality businesses.
What was the exact moment (or stay) that sparked the idea for Journey? Was there a gap you experienced as a traveler that made you think, ‘this should exist’?”
I found myself preferring more and more often boutique hotels or unique stays vs. the “consistency” of the big chain brands. When I traveled with my little kids, I wanted a home with more space…when I was going to a new city I wanted a hotel that felt connected to the local area…when I was looking for a romantic getaway I was seeking something truly memorable.
The one thing these all have in common was they were authentic, soulful experiences…but they also were independent businesses who lacked the visibility and data marketing sophistication of the big brands. Journey came to exist because I want these hotels and experiences to thrive and continue to exist in the world and because I believe consumers desire these experiences but struggle to find them or feel like they get more value from the loyalty programs of the big chains.
What inspired you to create Journey as a loyalty platform specifically for independent hotels and private rentals, rather than partnering with existing chains?
Journey was built for the kinds of stays that don’t fit into chains, independent hotels and rentals that thrive on individuality. Historically, these properties had to choose between sacrificing their uniqueness to join a chain or offering no loyalty at all. We saw an opportunity to change that. At the same time, today’s travelers value character and experience over standardization. Journey gives them a way to earn rewards for the places they actually want to stay without compromising what makes those places special.
What are some of the most surprising behaviors you've seen from members as they engage with Journey? Anything counterintuitive in redemption or stay preferences?
One surprising behavior is how quickly members redeem points, even mid-stay, when given the option. Traditional programs often delay rewards, but guests clearly value immediacy.
It’s also been interesting to see how many travelers prioritize unique, off-the-beaten-path properties over typical luxury names. It confirms what we’ve heard from operators for years: travelers are looking for meaningful experiences that create memories, not just shelter.
Ten years from now, what does success look like for Journey — not just in terms of size, but in what it changes about travel culture or independent hospitality?
Success for Journey means reshaping travel culture to celebrate individuality over uniformity. In 10 years, we envision a world where loyalty isn’t tied to chains, but to the kinds of experiences people seek out for their soulfulness and story.
Somewhere along the way, loyalty became about points but real loyalty is about connection. Guests will expect recognition and personalization wherever they go, and operators will have the tools to deliver it without losing what makes them unique. If we help shift the industry from transactional to meaningful, that’s success.
What are your self-care routines to recharge while still being heads down building a company?
I love volleyball and I still find getting my feet in the sand early in the morning and playing or training with friends always makes my days better. I don’t get to do it as often as I’d like, but even recently I was able to play and coach some of the AVP players at the pro tournament in Central Park which was an amazing experience to have a court at Wollman with the backdrop of the city.
Time for some New York-themed rapid fire questions — where’s your favorite place to grab a slice of pizza in New York?
Baggios Pizzeria I think has some of the best, but maybe that’s the Chicago in me…I prefer their deep pan.
Where’s your favorite coffee shop in New York?
Watch House. I lived in London and used to go to the original Watch House when they only had one…now to have them in NYC is great.
Do you have a favorite spot to escape the noise of the city?
I still spend a lot of time on the lake at my home outside Charlotte, NC. It’s a quick flight and is just a completely different pace and lifestyle than the city.
What’s one piece of advice – that you’ve shared or was shared with you – on building a startup in New York City?
I think it was around talent. A founder I know realized that “working in NYC” was attractive to many young people, but he had much more success with those who have lived in the city for a few years and had learned how to handle the lifestyle and understood the expectations and pace of both a startup and living in the city.
Le Walk
“New York is the world's most incredible magnet for talent and ambition. Let it fuel you, and take advantage of it. And enjoy the ride!”
What does your company do? What problem is it working to solve?
Le Walk is the world's first location-based immersive travel app. Built for the modern traveler, Le Walk transforms your iPhone into a hands-free local guide. With just AirPods and your location, the app unlocks rich, GPS-triggered storytelling from the world's best city guides. It's like starring in your own cinematic private city tour, available anytime, and in your language.
We built Le Walk to make the best guides in the world accessible to every single traveler, regardless of cost, timing or language. And, in turn, we built it to elevate guides who uniquely capture their cities in incredibly personal and deep ways.
A question we like to ask every founder – why New York?
How could we be anywhere else? We are a cultural product first, tech product second. And we couldn't imagine being anywhere else. New York has incredible appreciation of the impact and leverage technology provides, but boasts some of the great artistic and cultural institutions in the world. Our product's goal is to elevate how people see and experience cities, and there's unlimited inspiration here, in pretty much every domain. So the city feeds into what we do and build!
What inspired the idea of creating “a digital local,” and how do you balance automation with authenticity?
In the balance between automation and authenticity, we're entirely weighted to authenticity. Our guided walks are all produced by the very best guides in a city. In Paris, we interviewed 40 guides for every one that we worked with. We wanted to find those people who are emblematic of the city, and genuinely transform your experience of being in place.
We created the digital local because we wanted to bring these superstar guides to everyone. These are people who routinely charge close to $1000 to walk around with them for a day. For us, creating their digital versions is purely about access and scalability, which in-person guides cannot offer. Language is one of the few accessibility-related shortcomings of guides; by creating digital locals we've been able to successfully translate authenticity through language like never before.
How do you envision expanding Le Walk beyond Paris?
We've already launched in Florence and Rome, and we have additional cities in development that will launch in the coming weeks.
Can you share how you’re leveraging geolocation and AI to surface hidden or underrepresented stories?
This is a great question — our guides are historians, artists, professors, storytellers, some of whom never give tours. The only people who get to see the city through their eyes are their friends and colleagues. Now, through Le Walk, they can be accessed by all for the first time. And, with our more conventional guides, most of them have a strong desire to offer hyper-niche tours, but they weren't marketable to the few customers they offered each day.
Now, if a guide can dream up a tour, no matter how obscure, Le Walk helps connect them with the ideal audience. We have guides who have done everything from the sordid and scandalous history of the wonderful Pigalle district, all the way to an Invader (street art) deep-dive around Canal Saint Martin.
You have extensive experience working in tech, from Uber to TikTok to being a scout for a16z. How has that background helped you in your founder journey?
I've worked at Palantir, Uber Self-Driving, and TikTok. I wish I could say there is some amazing through-line there. But the only through-line is that at each of these places, people were putting maximum effort and energy to achieve something massive, with user experiences people just kept coming back for. So I continue to feed off of those experiences.
They also cemented in my mind that you need to find outstanding people if you want to have outstanding outcomes, which has definitely colored how we've built the team.
What are your self-care routines to recharge while still being heads down building a company?
Self-care with a recent newborn has not been at the top of the list recently! But one thing that helps is working on a product as humanistic and artistic as ours. Not a day goes by where I don't learn something new, especially from the tours and the content creation side of the house, so it's really just a privilege and I'm so lucky to be able to merge my professional and personal interests in one fantastic product.
Time for some New York-themed rapid fire questions — where’s your favorite place to grab a slice of pizza in New York?
How to choose! L'Industrie, Fini, Prince Street, all the regular hits. But when it was open, PQR on the Upper East Side was my absolute favorite, standout slice spot.
Where’s your favorite coffee shop in New York?
Suited Coffee in FiDi. It's a little off the beaten path, but they take their coffee incredibly seriously, and have the best variety of espresso beans to purchase. I mostly make my coffee at home but venture to them every couple weeks to restock. They're very friendly, go say hi!
Do you have a favorite spot to escape the noise of the city?
The Central Park Reservoir. What better spot to access nature, quiet, and tranquility, while still framing and celebrating this beautiful city. And what really inspires me is the foresight of the creators to commission such a wonderful running path over 150 years ago, which really has stood the test of time.
What’s one piece of advice – that you’ve shared or was shared with you – on building a startup in New York City?
Do it! That's the advice. There's so much dogma about which coast to be on, and there's so much grandstanding about the city you're in and the chances that has on your success. Forget about it. New York is the world's most incredible magnet for talent and ambition. Let it fuel you, and take advantage of it. And enjoy the ride!
SuiteOp
“New York offers unmatched access to hospitality talent, tech professionals, and capital. But more than that, it’s a city of operators — scrappy, resourceful, and driven.”
What does your company do? What problem is it working to solve?
SuiteOp is an operations platform for short-term rental property managers and independent hotels. We streamline repetitive, day-to-day tasks like task scheduling, team coordination, and communication so operators can focus on delivering great guest experiences. We’re solving the chaos behind the scenes that often holds back profitability and scalability.
A question we like to ask every founder – why New York?
New York offers unmatched access to hospitality talent, tech professionals, and capital. But more than that, it’s a city of operators — scrappy, resourceful, and driven. It mirrors the spirit of our customers and our company.
How do you think remote work trends and changing corporate travel policies will shape the demand for SuiteOp in the next 2–3 years?
Remote work and flexible travel are driving demand for extended stays and hybrid accommodations. This evolution pushes operators to manage more complex schedules and property types — which SuiteOp is built to support. We expect demand for our tools to increase as hospitality adapts to these changing patterns.
If you had unlimited time or money, what’s something you’d love to build into SuiteOp?
We’d love to build a fully integrated AI operations manager — something that could dynamically adjust staffing, prioritize maintenance, and optimize guest scheduling in real time based on weather, events, and local demand patterns.
Where do you see the greatest opportunities for SuiteOp’s growth — geographic expansion, partnerships, technology, or something else?
Partnerships. Integrating more deeply with PMSs, cleaning and staffing platforms, and even real estate tech tools will amplify SuiteOp’s value. Tech advancement is critical too — especially features that anticipate rather than react to problems.
Both you and your cofounder have extensive experience in the hospitality industry. What’s one thing about this space that most people totally misunderstand?
People often think hospitality is just about being friendly or offering perks. But it’s fundamentally about logistics. Every good guest experience is backed by hundreds of quiet, well-executed operational decisions.
What are your self-care routines to recharge while still being heads down building a company?
Morning workouts, evening walks to the park, and time-blocking “off” hours for dinner and mental reset. It’s not perfect, but it helps me show up focused and grounded.
Time for some New York-themed rapid fire questions — where’s your favorite place to grab a slice of pizza in New York?
Song’E Napule — amazing crust, perfect sauce. Can’t beat it.
Where’s your favorite coffee shop in New York?
Love Matto for my daily coffee break, and Devocion when I'm looking for a more upscale coffee!
Do you have a favorite spot to escape the noise of the city?
If I want to stay local, spend the day at Governors Island on a summer day. Really feels disconnected from the city. For a more adventurous day, taking the metro north to Cold Spring, many amazing hikes available a train ride away!
What’s one piece of advice – that you’ve shared or was shared with you – on building a startup in New York City?
Resilience is everything. New York moves fast and challenges you constantly. But if you stay focused, resourceful, and open to unexpected connections, the city will give back.
