Airbnb Investor WeRoad Secures $58 Million to Expand Group Travel Business Into the US

Milan-based group travel startup WeRoad has secured $58 million in a Series C funding round led by Airbnb as the company prepares for its first major expansion beyond Europe. The latest investment brings WeRoad’s total funding to around $100 million and will support its entry into the U.S. market, beginning with Austin, Texas.

The funding reflects growing investor interest in startups focused on real-world social experiences rather than purely digital engagement. As concerns around loneliness and social isolation continue to rise, especially among younger generations, companies building businesses around in-person connections are attracting increased attention.

WeRoad is positioning itself within the growing “IRL economy,” a category of startups focused on offline interaction through travel, events, and community experiences. Other companies exploring similar ideas include Timeleft, 222, and Pie, which organise dinners, meetups, clubs, and social gatherings.

The idea for WeRoad was born from the personal experiences of its founders — Paolo De Nadai, Fabio Bin, and Erika De Santi — who struggled to find compatible travel companions after college and early adulthood.

According to De Nadai, existing group travel companies often failed to create meaningful connections among travellers because groups were too mixed in age and interest. At the same time, the local tour guides focused more on logistics than on building social experiences.

In response, WeRoad designed trips specifically around shared interests, age groups, and travel styles. The platform mainly targets Millennials and Gen Z travellers, offering themed experiences ranging from beach vacations and adventure travel to skiing trips and cultural tours.

Before trips begin, travellers are added to WhatsApp groups managed by trip leaders so participants can get to know one another in advance. Most groups include between eight and 1 traveller.

The company says the biggest concern for solo travellers is usually not the destination itself, but whether they will connect with the group. To address this, WeRoad structures itineraries around activities intended to help people bond early in the experience.

Trips typically last 1-12 days, although the company has recently introduced shorter weekend experiences for first-time users. According to WeRoad, around 60% of customers eventually book another trip through the platform.

Instead of relying on traditional tour guides, WeRoad works with more than 4,000 “group leaders” globally — coordinators closer in age to travellers who function more like companions than formal guides. The company says it prioritises communication skills, adaptability, and group management over destination expertise.

In 2025, WeRoad also launched WeMeet, a separate app focused on organising local social gatherings such as dinners, hikes, yoga classes, running groups, after-work meetups, and board game nights. The company says more than 50,000 people attended WeMeet events across 35 cities last year, while the app recorded roughly 150,000 downloads.

WeMeet is expected to play a key role in WeRoad’s U.S. strategy. Rather than expanding nationwide immediately, the company plans to focus on building communities in selected cities first, starting with Austin. The company intends to recruit local group leaders, host events, and establish partnerships before moving into additional U.S. markets.

WeRoad reported €130 million in revenue in 2025, representing 30% year-over-year growth. The company says it organised trips for more than 100,000 travellers last year alone. Since launching in 2017, WeRoad says it has served more than 300,000 customers across over 1,000 travel itineraries worldwide.