Top 5 Venture Capital Firms Investing in Travel Startups

For founders in the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors, understanding the investor ecosystem is a critical first step in fundraising. Knowing which venture capital firms specialize in your industry can save you time and improve your chances of securing a great partner.

To help you prepare, our team curated this guide to the top travel and hospitality tech venture capital firms. It’s a straightforward overview designed to help you quickly identify relevant investors for your startup, whether you're at the seed, growth, or late stage.

Actively raising? You can now access non-dilutive funding options like venture debt and credit lines through Rho Capital. Rho also provides access to business banking, corporate cards, and bill pay—built for startup teams moving fast.

Key Takeaways

• For a travel startup, securing venture funding provides the capital needed to grow your team, develop your product, and expand into new markets.
• Several venture capital firms focus on the travel industry, with Thayer Ventures, Primer Sazze Partners, JetBlue Ventures, and Derive Ventures being notable backers of startups in this space.
• For startup leaders raising or managing a new round, Rho helps you manage your capital with fast business banking, corporate cards, and bill pay.

Which VC Firms in Travel Are Right for Your Stage?

Whether your company is early-stage or preparing for an exit, knowing which investors to approach makes all the difference. Consider this a quick guide to the venture capital firms that invest in travel startups, broken down by stage.

Pre-seed and Seed VC Firms in Travel

Pre-seed and seed funding is the earliest capital you'll raise, typically used to refine your product and find initial market fit. For travel startups at this stage, firms like Primer Sazze Partners and JetBlue Ventures are active investors.

Early Stage VC Firms in Travel

Early-stage funding, including Series A and B rounds, helps you scale your team and accelerate growth once you have established traction. Some travel technology venture capital firms focusing on this phase include Thayer Ventures and Derive Ventures.

Late Stage VC Firms in Travel

Late-stage rounds provide significant capital for mature companies to expand into new markets, make acquisitions, or prepare for an exit. Investors like PAR Capital Management and Thayer Ventures have a track record of backing hospitality tech venture capital firms through these later phases.

Once you secure funding, managing it effectively is the next step. Rho’s integrated financial tools—including business banking, corporate cards, and automated bill pay—help startups manage and deploy capital efficiently.

It's also worth noting that many travel-focused venture capital firms invest across multiple stages, from seed to exit.

To help you identify the right partners, our team has gathered key details on the top venture capital firms in the travel sector. Below, you'll find information on their investment stages, geographic focus, and what makes each firm distinct.

1. Thayer Ventures

Thayer Ventures is a venture capital firm that invests exclusively in technology companies serving the travel and hospitality industries. They support startups from the seed stage through later growth rounds, demonstrating a long-term commitment to their portfolio.

The firm is known for backing companies that become category leaders, with notable investments like Sonder, Mews, and Duetto. This history suggests a deep understanding of the sector and an ability to identify and support startups with high-growth potential.

Thayer Ventures is a strong potential partner if you are building a technology-first solution for the travel or hospitality market. Once you secure funding, Rho’s integrated financial tools—including business banking, corporate cards, and automated bill pay—help you manage and deploy capital efficiently.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage, Late Stage
• Industries of focus: Travel Technology, Hospitality Technology
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2007
• Notable portfolio companies: Sonder, Mews, Uplift, Duetto, Canary Technologies
• Portfolio size: 65 investments

You can refer to their website here.

2. Primer Sazze Partners

Primer Sazze Partners is a venture capital firm based in California that backs founders with ambitious, world-changing ideas. They focus on providing capital at the seed and early stages to help companies build a strong foundation.

The firm invests across a range of industries, including travel, social platforms, and cloud computing, showing a broad appetite for innovation. Their portfolio includes diverse technology companies like music-analytics platform Chartmetric and 3D digital-twin software Cupix.

This firm is a good fit if you are an early-stage founder with a bold vision that extends beyond a single market. Once you secure funding, Rho’s integrated financial tools—including business banking, corporate cards, and automated bill pay—help you manage and deploy capital efficiently.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage
• Industries of focus: Cloud Computing, Content, Social, Travel
• Geographical presence: San Jose, California
• Founded: 2018
• Notable portfolio companies: Chartmetric, Tapas Media, Cupix, Upstage AI
• Portfolio size: 124 investments

You can refer to their website here.

3. JetBlue Ventures

As the corporate venture capital arm of JetBlue, the firm invests in early-stage startups that are building the future of travel and hospitality. They partner with companies from the seed stage onward to support their growth.

The firm shows a clear focus on technologies that directly improve the travel experience and airline operations, including sustainability and weather intelligence. Their portfolio includes companies like Aether Fuels, which develops sustainable aviation fuel, and Joby Aviation, an eVTOL developer.

JetBlue Ventures is a great match for founders who can benefit from a strategic relationship with a major airline, offering more than just capital. Once you secure funding, Rho’s integrated financial tools—including business banking, corporate cards, and automated bill pay—help you manage and deploy capital efficiently.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage, Late Stage
• Industries of focus: Travel Technology, Hospitality, Aerospace
• Geographical presence: San Carlos, California
• Founded: 2016
• Notable portfolio companies: Joby Aviation, Tomorrow.io, Aether Fuels, TurnKey Vacation Rentals
• Portfolio size: 58 investments

You can refer to their website here.

4. Derive Ventures

Derive Ventures is an early-stage venture fund based in San Francisco that focuses on advancing the travel and hospitality industries. They support companies from seed to later stages, providing capital to build and scale new technologies.

The firm invests in technology companies that intersect with travel, hospitality, and real estate, with a portfolio that includes fintech and software leaders. Notable investments like Bilt Rewards and Canary Technologies highlight their ability to back companies that achieve significant scale.

Derive Ventures is a strong fit for founders building technology for these sectors, especially those with a fintech angle. As you prepare your fundraising strategy, Rho Capital can also connect you to non-dilutive funding options like venture debt and credit lines, tailored to your stage and business model.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage, Late Stage
• Industries of focus: Hospitality, Travel, Real Estate, Software
• Geographical presence: San Francisco, California
• Founded: 2021
• Notable portfolio companies: Bilt Rewards, Canary Technologies, Scale Computing, Cardless
• Portfolio size: 26 investments

You can refer to their website here.

5. PAR Capital Management

PAR Capital Management is a Boston-based investment firm that takes a long-term approach to its investments. The firm is active in both private and public markets, giving it a broad perspective on company growth cycles.

The firm invests across all stages, from seed rounds to post-IPO financing. Their portfolio includes major public companies like Zillow and Chegg, alongside significant travel-tech players like SilverRail Technologies and Uplift, demonstrating a capacity to back companies through to major exits and market leadership.

PAR Capital is a good fit for founders with a long-term vision, particularly those in the later stages seeking substantial growth capital. Once you secure funding, managing it effectively is the next step. Rho’s integrated financial tools—including business banking, corporate cards, and automated bill pay—help startups manage and deploy capital efficiently.

• Investment stages: Seed, Early Stage, Late Stage, Post-IPO
• Industries of focus: Financial Services, Travel
• Geographical presence: Boston, Massachusetts
• Founded: 1990
• Notable portfolio companies: Zillow, Chegg, SilverRail Technologies, Uplift, BookingPal
• Portfolio size: 37 investments

You can refer to their website here.

What This Tells Us About The VC Scene for Travel Companies

This review of top VCs shows a healthy and balanced funding environment for travel technology startups. You’ll find investors ready to back companies across the full spectrum, from pre-seed and seed rounds to significant late-stage financing. This indicates a mature sector where investors are prepared to support companies from their initial idea through to market leadership.

One clear pattern is the geographic concentration of these firms in major US tech hubs. As you plan your outreach, it’s also wise to consider all financing avenues. Rho Capital can connect you to non-dilutive funding options like venture debt and credit lines, tailored to your business model. Once funding is secured, our integrated financial tools help you manage and deploy that capital efficiently.

Raise Confidently with Rho

A targeted list of investors is a major asset when you're fundraising, helping you save time and focus your energy on the right conversations.

If you’re seeking funding, Rho Capital connects you to non-dilutive funding options like venture debt and credit lines through a fast, guided process.

We help founders access financing tailored to their business model. Once capital is secured, Rho provides integrated tools—business banking, corporate cards, and automated bill pay—to help you manage and deploy funds efficiently.

FAQs about Venture Capital Firms Focused on Travel

Are there travel venture capital firms in Europe?

Yes, Europe has a growing number of VCs focused on travel and hospitality. Firms often concentrate in hubs like London, Berlin, and Paris, backing startups that innovate in booking, guest experiences, and sustainable travel solutions across the continent.

Which Asian venture capital firms invest in travel startups?

Several Asian VCs are active in the travel sector, particularly in Singapore, India, and China. They often seek companies with strong regional knowledge that address local market needs, from mobile-first booking platforms to new hospitality concepts.

What is the role of corporate venture capital in travel?

Corporate venture capital (CVC) firms, like JetBlue Ventures, offer strategic value beyond money. They provide industry expertise, potential partnerships, and distribution channels, giving portfolio companies a significant advantage in the market.

How do angel investors differ from travel VC firms?

Angel investors typically provide smaller, earlier-stage capital than VC firms and are often individuals investing their own money. VCs manage larger funds from limited partners and usually invest in more established, post-product-market fit companies.

What do travel-focused venture capital firms look for?

Travel-focused VCs look for a strong team, a large market, and a scalable model with clear traction. Once you secure funding, our integrated tools help you manage and deploy that capital with business banking, cards, and bill pay.

How can Rho help my startup with fundraising?

Rho Capital connects you to non-dilutive funding options like venture debt and credit lines. We offer a fast, guided process to help you access financing tailored to your business model without giving up equity. Get started with Rho.