If you’re the founder of a travel startup looking to raise money from investors, one key step is to create a strong travel pitch deck. And what better way to learn how to build that killer pitch deck than by studying examples from startups that have successfully raised funds venture capital?
In this blog post, we’ll share 12 of the best pitch decks from VC-funded travel startups around. Whether you’re raising your pre-seed round or a multi-million dollar Series D, these pitch decks will teach you what it takes to raise funds from major investors. So let’s get started!
What Is a Pitch Deck? And Why Does Your Travel Startup Need One?
A pitch deck is an invaluable tool for any business looking to attract potential investors (such as venture capitalists or angel investors). At it’s heart, a pitch deck is the deck of slides used by startups when presenting their “pitch” to investors to make an investment in the company.
But a pitch deck is so much more than just a collection of slides. It’s one of the most important things that a company can have and gives investors the business’s concept and strategy, as well as “the numbers” behind your pitch. A pitch deck also a great way to illustrate the story of what you do, how your business works, and how it will be successful.
Many pitch decks are also used by startups in their initial communications with investors, giving investors an initial overview of the business before their initial meeting. By having a pitch deck at hand, entrepreneurs can effectively demonstrate their plan in a concise, visual format, making sure they present every piece of necessary information that could sway potential financiers.
In best case scenarios, an impressive pitch deck can wow a potential investor so much that they pass the deck onto other investors who may be interested in the startup!
(For more on startup fundraising read our articles: How to Raise Venture Capital Funding for Your Startup, Pre-Seed Funding: What it Is and How to Get It. How to Create a Startup Pitch).
Your Pitch Deck’s Compelling Story
Crafting the perfect pitch deck can be the difference between finding the right investor and not getting any funding. As potential investors take a closer look at your business, the most important thing is to structure your pitch deck in a way that tells a compelling story that leads to their investment. And what that story needs to tell is how your business is going to deliver a major return on investment for these investors.
But what goes into telling that story?
What Do Investors Need to See in a Pitch Deck?
Because they see so many, many pitch decks and are evaluating so many investment opportunities, most active venture capital and angel investors have a very clear idea of what they want to see in a pitch deck, and it’s way more than a terrific business idea.
Learn more about How Do Angel Investors Work?
A pitch deck should focus on succinctly showcasing both your unique idea and vision and demonstrating the ability of the management team to execute on it. It should include information about management team’s qualifications and track record, business model and customer acquisition strategies, and competitive advantage in order to provide context for why this is a viable business venture.
The pitch deck also needs to show potential investors that not only is the business idea viable, it can deliver big returns. That means that the market is big enough for the business to make major profits and the business has enough of an advantage to beat out all likely competitors, as well as any traction and cash flow that the business has already achieved. A pitch deck should also present a realistic timeline that breaks down objectives into key milestones with tangible end results.
For more on how to build a stellar pitch deck, read our article on How to Create an A+ Venture Capital Pitch Deck.
Let’s take a look at some examples!
12 Essential Travel Pitch Decks from VC-Funded Startups
1). The AirBnB Pitch Deck
Travel Startup Details:
Business Model: Marketplace
Industry: Hospitality, Travel
Customer Model: B2B, B2C
Travel Pitch Deck Details:
Amount Raised: $600K
Deck Funding Year: 2008
Round: Seed
Company Link: Airbnb
AngelList: AngelList
Airbnb is an online marketplace and hospitality service, allowing people to rent or lease short-term lodging including vacation rentals, apartment rentals, homestays, hostel beds, or hotel rooms. It operates in more than 81,000 cities and 191 countries. Airbnb allows users to find and book accommodations for various cost levels around the world. The company has grown rapidly since its launch in 2008 and now serves millions of guests each year.
2). The DigitalOutposts Pitch Deck
Travel Startup Details:
Business Model: Marketplace
Industry: Collaboration, Logistics, Real Estate, Travel
Customer Model: B2C
Travel Pitch Deck Details:
Amount Raised: $100K
Deck Funding Year: 2017
Round: Seed
Company Link: DigitalOutposts
AngelList: AngelList
DigitalOutposts was a platform that hosts groups of remote working professionals and graduate students in distinctive coworking destinations.
3). The Sonder Pitch Deck
Travel Startup Details:
Business Model: Marketplace
Industry: Hospitality, Travel, Proptech, Real Estate
Customer Model: C2C
Travel Pitch Deck Details:
Amount Raised: $225M
Deck Funding Year: 2019
Round: Late Stage
Company Link: Sonder
AngelList: AngelList
Sonder is a hospitality technology company that provides short-term apartment rentals around the world. Through their unique platform, customers can find and book stylish, fully furnished apartments in major cities such as London, Paris, New York, and San Francisco. From cozy studios to spacious lofts, Sonder has something for every traveler. With 24/7 guest support and a team of local experts on call in each city they serve, Sonder offers an unmatched level of service and convenience.
4). The Claim Compass Pitch Deck
Travel Startup Details:
Business Model: Other
Industry: LegalTech, Travel, Transportation
Customer Model: C2C
Travel Pitch Deck Details:
Amount Raised: $1.3M
Deck Funding Year: 2019
Round: Seed
Company Link: Claim Compass
AngelList: AngelList
Claim Compass is a leading technology-based platform that provides easy, fast, and reliable support for individuals filing insurance claims. Founded in 2016, Claim Compass makes the process of claiming insurance easier by automating the entire claim filing process, from gathering necessary documents to filing with the insurer. Their goal is to help customers save time and money during the claims process.
5). The Lola Pitch Deck
Travel Startup Details:
Business Model: SaaS
Industry: Travel, FinTech, Analytics
Business Model: B2B
Travel Pitch Deck Details:
Amount Raised: $37M
Lola Deck Funding Year: 2019
Round: Late-Stage
Company Link: N/A
AngelList: AngelList
Lola was a travel startup which developed corporate travel management and expense software for small to medium-sized companies. Lola provided hotel and flight search information as well as booking services for businesses. Its business travel planning and corporate travel solution also provided administrative analytics on employee travel and associated costs. Before its acquisition by Capital One in 2021, Lola had received more than $80 million in funding from investors.
These slides were part of a pitch deck which was used to raise Lola’s $37M Series C round, and highlight Lola’s strengths, a highly-experienced executive team and the social proof of a highly-rated product.
6) Uber Pitch Deck
Travel Startup Details:
Industry: App, Ride Sharing, Transportation, Travel, Logistics
Business Model: B2C
Travel Pitch Deck Details:
Amount Raised: $200K
Year: 2008
Round: Early Stage
Company Links: Uber
AngelList: AngelList
Uber is a ride-hailing company that allows people to request rides from drivers using their mobile app. Uber connects riders with drivers in more than 800 cities around the world and has revolutionized the way people get around. With its easy-to-use platform, riders can quickly book safe and reliable rides with just a few taps on their smartphone.
7) MapMe Pitch Deck
Travel Startup Details:
Business Model: SaaS
Industry: Travel, Transportation, Logistics, 3D Technology, Social Media, Media
Business Model: B2B
Travel Pitch Deck Details:
Amount Raised: $1M
Year: 2015
Round: Seed
Company Links: MapMe
AngelList: AngelList
MapMe is a digital mapping platform that offers businesses and developers a powerful way to create interactive maps. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, MapMe allows users to quickly and easily build custom maps with features such as pinning, data visualization, and more. MapMe also provides access to detailed demographic data that can be used to analyze customer behavior and target market segments.
8) Linguatrip Pitch Deck
Travel Startup Details:
Business Model: Marketplace
Industry: EdTech, Travel
Customer Model: C2C
Travel Pitch Deck Details:
Amount Raised: Undisclosed
Year: 2015
Round: Pre-Seed
Company Link: Linguatrip
AngelList: AngelList
Linguatrip is an online language learning platform that provides users with a comprehensive range of language courses, educational solutions and offers adaptive learning material. With personalized engaging and educational classes, customized learning plans and interactive games, Linguatrip strives to make language learning convenient, enjoyable and effective for all. They offer over 30 languages from around the world, including Spanish, French, German, Italian and more. Their experienced team of native-speaking tutors provide guidance and support throughout each course to ensure users are getting the most out of their experience.
9). Parkbench Pitch Deck
Travel Startup Details:
Business Model: SaaS
Industry: Real Estate, Proptech, Events, Marketing, Advertising, Collaboration, Travel
Customer Model: B2B, B2C
Travel Pitch Deck Details:
Amount Raised: $125K
Deck Funding Year: 2016
Round: Pre-Seed
Company Link: Parkbench
AngelList: AngelList
Parkbench is a comprehensive sales and marketing platform that helps realtors build their personal brand and company identity and gain more clients in their neighborhood. With a suite of powerful tools, Parkbench enables realtors to create targeted marketing campaigns, showcase listings, monitor bidding wars, publish deals, manage time-consuming open houses, track analytics, and monitor customer feedback. Parkbench also provides an easy-to-use dashboard that simplifies the process of managing client relationships.
10). BlaBlaCar Pitch Deck
Travel Startup Details:
Business Model: Marketplace
Industry: Ride Sharing, CleanTech, Collaboration, Transportation, Travel, Energy
Customer Model: C2C
Travel Pitch Deck Details:
Amount Raised: €21.3M
Deck Funding Year: 2016
Round: Late Stage
Company Link: BlaBlaCar
AngelList: AngelList
BlaBlaCar is a trusted online carpooling platform that connects drivers with empty seats to people looking for a ride. Through the platform, users can share the cost of long-distance travel by offering rides in their own cars or by finding a ride with someone going the same way. The service helps people save money on transportation costs and get to their destination safely and more affordably.
11). Headout Pitch Deck
Travel Startup Details:
Business Model: App
Industry: Hospitality, Travel, Events, Entertainment
Customer Model: B2C
Travel Pitch Deck Details:
Amount Raised: $1.8M
Deck Funding Year: 2015
Round: Seed
Company Link: Headout
AngelList: AngelList
Headout is an online travel platform designed to make planning trips and experiences easy, efficient and fun. The company offers a wide range of experiences, from guided tours and activities to tickets for museums, attractions, and shows – all at competitive prices. Headout also provides helpful local insights to ensure that users have the best experience possible in each destination.
12). Kidzjet Pitch Deck
Travel Startup Details:
Business Model: Subscription
Industry: Transportation, Travel, Logistics, Ride Sharing
Customer Model: B2C, B2B, B2B2C
Travel Pitch Deck Details:
Amount Raised: Undisclosed
Deck Funding Year: 2015
Round: Seed
Company Link: KidzJet
AngelList: AngelList
KidzJet is an online travel agency that specializes in family travel. They offer exclusive discounts on flights, hotels and activities for families with children. KidzJet also provides expert advice and tailored solutions to make family trips easier, safer and more enjoyable.
Read more about the Startup Sales Strategy.
The Bottom Line on Travel Pitch Decks
In this blog post, we’ve gone over the structure of a pitch deck and some best practices. We’ve also included 12 examples of well-designed pitch decks from VC-funded startups in the travel industry. Keep these tips in mind when creating your own travel pitch deck, and make sure to avoid common pitfallsof unsuccessful pitches.
Good luck!
Need More Pitch Deck Inspiration?
Check out our:
25 Essential SaaS Pitch Decks for Startups,
25 Fintech Pitch Decks by VC-Funded Startups,
25 Best eCommerce Pitch Deck Examples from Funded Startups,
8 Best Biotech Pitch Deck Examples from Established Startups,
16 Best Social Media Pitch Deck Examples from Well-Known Startups,
31 Best Marketplace Pitch Deck Examples from VC-Funded Startups,
11 Best Real Estate Pitch Deck Examples from Established Startups,
5 Best Crypto Pitch Decks from VC-Funded Startups,
12 Essential Healthcare Pitch Decks from VC-Funded Startups,
10 Successful Sports Pitch Deck Examples from VC-Funded Startups,
12 Best Travel Pitch Decks from VC-Funded Startups,
11 Pitch Decks from Top Proptech Startups,
7 Pitch Decks from Established InsurTech Startups,
19 Best Pre-Seed Pitch Decks from Early Stage Startups.
15 Pre-Seed Venture Capital Firms Who Invest in Early Stage Startups.
4 Essential Pitch Decks from VC-Backed Agriculture Startups,
17 Essential Series A Pitch Decks by VC-Funded Startups,
8 Pitch Decks from Top Robotics Startups,
15 Pitch Decks from Successful Big Data Startups,
7 Pitch Decks by Top Augmented Reality Startups,
5 Pitch Decks by Established Legal Tech Companies,
and 19 Best Edtech Pitch Deck Examples.’
