Utrip Announces $750,000 in Funding and Launches Out of Beta
Seattle, WA (PRWEB) April 22, 2014 -- Utrip, a free travel planning platform that uses artificial intelligence to create personalized itineraries in minutes, announced today that it has launched out of beta and raised $750,000 to successfully complete its seed funding round. New investors include Felix Anthony, former vice president of Kindle for Amazon and CB Alliance, a New York venture capital firm. The proceeds will help fund several initiatives, including expansion and hiring key personnel.
Also announced were new additions to Utrip’s Advisory Group. Travel experts Matthew D. Upchurch, chairman and chief executive officer of Virtuoso®, the world’s largest luxury travel network, and Matt Klein, former global product lead for Yahoo! Travel have been added the board. Current advisory members include Oren Etzioni, artificial intelligence expert, and David Conrad, studio director and founder of Design Commission.
“Utrip has made huge strides in the past few months,” said Gilad Berenstein, founder and chief executive officer of Utrip. “We have launched out of our beta period, increased traffic over 45%, and successfully closed our seed financing. We are excited to have travel industry leaders Matthew Upchurch and Matt Klein to help guide us as we continue our growth trajectory.”
“Our world-class travel advisors see well informed consumers as a plus, and I fundamentally believe that empowered travelers are good for the entire industry,” said Matthew Upchurch. “Travel’s growth is enhanced when people receive individualized attention and experiences rather than commoditized products.”
“Creating a trip itinerary can be daunting,” said Matt Klein. “The use of big data and machine learning is changing the face of travel planning. With Utrip’s best-in-class technology and user experience, you can put together a personalized itinerary in just a few clicks.”
About Utrip
Utrip is a free travel planning technology that brings together the best in artificial intelligence and human experience, making it easy for travelers to create their perfect trip quickly. Founded in Seattle in 2011, Utrip’s predictive technology works on a vast travel database that has been curated by local experts. Once a traveler indicates their interests and budget, Utrip’s algorithm sorts through millions of must-see sites, activities, events and restaurants recommendations to deliver personalized itineraries--in minutes. Travelers may then purchase their lodging and share their itineraries with friends. To learn more about Utrip or to plan your next adventure, visit Utrip.
Teri Franklin, Utrip, http://www.utrip.com, +1 206-419-1388, [email protected]
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