Welcome back to the Founder Roundup! This is around the time of year where I reassess– what have I accomplished this year? What do I want to accomplish by the end of the year?

I hope your list of achievements is longer than you expected and I hope your goals for the rest of the year are bigger than they ought to be.

– Luke

On the latest episode of the Backseat Startup Podcast, I had Raj Bagri, Founder of Kapture, on the show. A Reddit user asked where passion for your company comes from. It was a perfect question to dig into Raj’s passion for decarbonizing the planet.

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Future Founders is the weekly newsletter for early stage founders and the next generation of entrepreneurs. Being an early stage founder requires constant learning. Level up with insights and tactical advice from startup veterans who have helped launch hundreds of startups.

Tavishi Gupta of Tern

What is Tern?

Tern is a travel planning app powered by artificial intelligence, designed to simplify the process of creating travel itineraries. It sources information on hotels, rental transport options, and travel guides from across the globe. In collaboration with travel agents, Tern facilitates the reservation process.

Users begin by answering a set of straightforward questions. Based on their responses, Tern generates a comprehensive itinerary that includes images, weather predictions, and Google Maps directions. These itineraries are not only customizable but also collaborative and shareable.

Tern acts as a central hub, combining reviews, suggestions, images, and videos related to the trip. It utilizes advanced AI technologies, including Chat GPT and GPT4, to enhance its recommendation procedures.

Currently, Tern's minimum viable product (MVP) draws upon a broad range of data. However, future plans involve consolidating and organizing this data internally to further enhance the user experience.

Tern’s User Acquisition Strategy

Tern is reporting a 370% increase in waitlist signups for its beta version within a month of launch. Their strategy relies heavily on word-of-mouth referrals, as well as creating a sense of urgency by opening up limited slots on the waitlist periodically.

The company's approach also includes partnering with social media influencers to engage with their target market - GenZ and Millenials who are digital nomads. They're leveraging the rising interest in travel as pandemic restrictions ease.

User feedback is instrumental in defining Tern's roadmap, with a keen interest in understanding what features users value.

Tern is also launching a paid pilot program for a travel expert portal. This serves the dual purpose of generating revenue and adding a human element to the app, providing users with more in-depth and inclusive travel information.

Head over to their website to learn more, or read the full article below 👇️ 

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Pitch Prep Workshop: Does it feel like you're sharing your pitch with prospective partners, investors or clients without much traction or feedback? I am thrilled to join Ciara Ungar of The Why Group in hosting a “rapid fire” workshop to share your pitch and gain valuable feedback on how to take it to the next level. Click the image below to register.

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