STARTUP STAGE: Triplay uses AI to create personalized travel itineraries

Triplay launched in August 2023 to provide fast, easy trip planning for any destination in the world.

The system uses algorithms to optimize suggested routes based on geodata, enabling travelers to save time while visiting as many locations as possible.

What is your 30-second pitch to investors?

Each of you must have experienced the stress of planning a trip. On average, we have to spend more than 10 hours monitoring travel blogs and maps. Unfortunately, even thorough preparation doesn't mean the trip will go perfectly - not unless you're using Triplay. This artificial intelligence travel planner makes the travel planning process as seamless as possible. Each route is tailored to the user's interests, maximizing the immersive experience of a new city. Special convenience is provided by route optimization. Now every traveler will manage his time in the most productive way and will be able to see many more interesting places than before. Triplay has everything you need for a perfect trip. Unique routes to all cities of the world, flexible editing system and smart route optimization.

Describe both the business and technology aspects of your startup.

Triplay is an AI-based travel planner. Our product allows users to get a unique travel plan based on their interests in seconds. In addition, Triplay algorithms optimize the routes based on geodata, which allows the traveler to save time and visit as many locations as possible during the trip.

Give us your SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the company.

• Strengths:
  • Personalization. The travel personalization market is actively growing. AI capabilities allow processing large amounts of data and offering unique experiences at the request of users
  • Cost-effective. Triplay reduces the need for travel agent services.
  • Dynamic adaptation. Triplay allows for real-time updating of travel plans. No city and country restrictions. 
• Weaknesses:
  • The "novelty effect." In 2023, travelers are already actively using AI-powered planners. However, this phenomenon is not yet widespread.
  • Classic travel agencies. Despite the emergence of modern tools, many travelers prefer travel agencies.  The trend will change with the growing trust in AI-based travel planners.
• Opportunities:
  • Growing travel industry: The travel industry has seen a resurgence since the pandemic, opening up a vast market for AI-powered travel planners.
  • Partnerships. Cooperation with major players in the tourism market will provide access to a wide range of services.
  • Technological advancements. Improvements in Triplay's recommendation system will provide convenience throughout the travel cycle.
• Threats:
  • New pandemic. A theoretically possible new mass pandemic could be a problem for travel market growth.
  • Economic downturns. Economic challenges could lead to reduced travel spending, affecting the demand for travel planning services.

What are the travel pain points you are trying to alleviate from both the customer and the industry perspective?

We cut down on travel planning time. The average user spends more than 10 hours exploring several websites and forums. Triplay creates a travel plan in a couple of minutes. We make the best use of travel time by optimizing routes on the itinerary. This means that using Triplay a traveler will be able to visit more locations than before. We have started to work on higher level planning functionality, which would allow users to plan trips to a country or region (multiple cities) in an efficient way by having all necessary information about available destinations and transportation options.

We plan to build an AI assistant (chatbot) which can support users throughout the planning and travel stages eliminating the need to search the information on the web.

So you've got the product, now how will you get lots of customers?

Our SEO optimization and paid advertising efforts allowed us to get our first paying users. We see a lot of interest from the audience, so we want to spread the word about Triplay to as many people as possible.

Tell us what process you've gone through to establish a genuine need for your company and the size of the addressable market.

In the beginning, we drew on our experience in travel planning. Then, in the process of interviewing users, we became convinced that many other people experience similar pain. We realized that our experience and knowledge would allow us to create a travel planner that would be in demand. The travel personalization market we are targeting is estimated by experts to be $100 billion at the moment.

How and when will you make money?

Already today we have paying users and their number is actively growing. 

What are the backgrounds and previous achievements of the founding team?

The Triplay team has been together for seven years We used to develop software for startups and corporations under the Vallex brand. Now we have a separate team of engineers and develop Triplay. Our team members are people who are passionate about traveling and technology.

How have you addressed diversity and inclusion within your business?

We communicate regularly with our users and continue to develop Triplay. We are already ahead of most direct competitors and next year we are going to take the lead in the niche of AI-based travel planners. 

What's been the most difficult part of founding the business so far?

We faced challenges from day one. At first it was important for us to make sure that we could realize our idea. The project did not even start with an MVP, but with a proof of concept. In the end, we managed to make a complex technological product simple and understandable for users.

Generally, travel startups face a fairly tough time making an impact - so why are you going to be one of lucky ones?

Now is a great time for Triplay. The travel market has recovered from the pandemic. Confidence in artificial intelligence is growing. And in terms of technology, we have already surpassed our direct competitors by developing our product without attracting investment.

A year from now, what state do you think your startup will be in?

A year from now, we plan to significantly expand Triplay's functionality and establish ourselves as a leader among AI-powered travel planners.

What is your end-game (going public, acquisition, growing and staying private, etc.)?

We will meet to the active growth of Triplay! We plan to go for fundraising Q2 2024 with intent to grow the product in order to change the way the people plan and travel across the globe.