elude Raises $2.1M to Revolutionize Spontaneous Travel

A New Approach to Spontaneous Travel with Elude

With a resurgence in travel as pandemic-related restrictions ease, Elude is introducing a novel method for planning impromptu getaways.

The Los Angeles-based startup officially launched its mobile travel discovery application on Thursday. This platform functions as a search engine prioritizing affordability, revealing the extent of travel possibilities within a user’s financial means.

The Genesis of Elude

The concept for Elude originated three years ago with Alex Simon, CEO, and Frankie Scerbo, CMO. They initially connected during their college years through a shared passion for travel, frequently embarking on trips during extended weekends.

A frustrating experience attempting to plan a New Year’s trip, hampered by excessive costs, ultimately sparked the idea for Elude. They recognized a gap in the market for accessible travel planning.

How Elude Works

Unlike conventional travel searches focused on specific destinations, Elude operates differently. It first collects user input regarding their budget, desired travel dates, and preferences – such as a preference for beaches over mountains.

Based on this information, the platform then presents flight and hotel options for destinations users might not have previously considered, or believed were financially feasible.

Elude accesses the same extensive flight and hotel databases utilized by other online travel agencies, encompassing hundreds of thousands of options. It specifically filters for hotels rated 3.5 stars or higher, ensuring a certain level of quality.

Securing Seed Funding

The co-founders have successfully raised $2.1 million in seed funding. This investment round was spearheaded by a consortium of investors, including Mucker Capital, Unicorn Ventures, Upfront Scout Fund, StartupO, Grayson Capital, and Flight VC.

Addressing a Changing Travel Landscape

Erik Rannala, co-founder and managing partner at Mucker Capital, made an initial investment in Elude prior to the global pandemic. He observes a return to normalcy in the travel sector, but acknowledges increased flight costs.

This shift has created a greater demand for travel deals, a need that Elude is uniquely positioned to address. He believes Elude is filling a previously unmet need in the market.

From Browsing to Booking

Rannala describes travelers as typically being in either “look mode” or “book mode,” with revenue primarily generated during the latter. Elude’s budget-first approach facilitates a faster transition from browsing to booking.

“They’ve developed a method to assist individuals in discovering new options within their budget that are immediately available for reservation,” Rannala stated. “This represents a distinctive solution and provides users with advantageous pricing.”

Targeting Millennial Travelers

With millennials spending upwards of $200 billion annually on travel, Elude aims to streamline the trip-planning process. The goal is to minimize time spent searching and maximize time spent enjoying vacations.

Unlike some competitors that focus solely on flights or hotels, Elude offers comprehensive flight and hotel packages.

“With just a few clicks, we can demonstrate that a trip to Barcelona could cost the same as one to Miami,” Scerbo explained to TechCrunch. “Access to this type of information empowers travelers to take more frequent trips, potentially several times a year instead of just once or twice.”

Launch and Future Plans

Before its public launch, Elude operated in a private beta phase, accumulating a waitlist of approximately 40,000 users, as noted by Simon.

The newly acquired funding will be allocated to enhancing the platform’s technology, bolstering marketing efforts, improving operational efficiency, and strengthening customer support capabilities.