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Doug Schuessler has alwaysbeen a founder . This passion , which has been with him since childhood , saw him launch two inauguration , move to San Francisco , and take a Book of Job at Square to see what a “ real skyrocket shop looked like . ” He after became chief taxation officer at restaurant booking platformResy , before becoming a founder once again .
AfterResy trade to AMEX , Schuessler said he started studying the hospitality technology diligence more and see himself soak on hotels .
“ Independent hotels really need the help , ” he evidence TechCrunch .
He said decades ago most of the hotels in the res publica were independently owned , but hotel chains have started to grease one’s palms up these modest properties , leaving the remaining self-governing hotel with more competition .
Schuesslerand his co - beginner , Cody Rose , who also worked at Resy , decide to createSafara , a business that lets customers book nearly every hotel in the existence — whether it ’s a strand or independent .
The lean is curated from a commixture of consumer data and community - sourced recommendations . There is also a payoff program that provides cash back to those who book through the platform , which can be lend oneself to the next head trip . Independent hotels using Skipper can access it commission - free , though technically any hotel can plug into the platform .
“ Think of it as another direct channel alongside their web site , ” Schuessler continue . “ We then connect these two products to elevate the guest experience by enabling direct web guests who book directly on the hotel ’s site to manage that reservation in the Safara app . ”
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Today , Safara announced an unrevealed round led by Sequoia and Defy.vc , as well as the acquisition of the companySkipper , an online booking engine used by sovereign hotel . With the additional financial support , Safara has raised $ 14 million in support to date .
The Safara and Skipper team came together after being put in by a common investor who feel the company had a like outlook on the hospitality place . The Skipper atomic number 27 - founders will join Safara in some capacity .
“ We actually made a pass at the deal to begin with in the year , ” Schuessler said . But the stars finally aligned . “ Both companies have a much unspoilt chance at achieving the shared imaginativeness together than they do apart . ”
Safara take aim to be different from others on the market by tender software program solutions to hotels and product that serve the consumer on their side , too .
“ The magic is rifle to come in 2025 when we connect these two products more deeply to produce new experiences for both hotel and guests , ” Schuessler , who is the troupe ’s CEO , said .
Schuessler met his investors through strong introductions , he tell . Alfred Lin , a better half at Sequoia , was the caller ’s first major worshiper but passed the first time around .
“ I commend him saying , ‘ peradventure we can become partner in the future , ’ and at the time I thought that was atomic number 5 , but it sprain out to be the truth , ” Schuessler said . He met Brian Rothenberg , a partner at Defy.vc , through the AngelTrack web , and said the two now strike it off .
“ He is exceedingly supportive through good and bad and we tend to see the world through a very like lens , ” he continued .
Safara will habituate the fresh capital to descale product ontogenesis and the number of hotels using its product .
“ Our focus of 2025 and beyond is really to empower independent hotels with the same technology and net advantage as chain hotel , ” Schuessler said . “ If we get this right field , not only do we help these hotel succeed , but the types of experiences that will unlock for node are thing that honestly do n’t survive right now . And if we achieve both of those things , the sky is the terminal point for Safara as a troupe . ”
