Founder: Mayank Kukreja
Business: ITILITE
Revenue/Month: Worth $50 Million
Founders: 2
Employees: Over 300 professionals
Website: itilite.com
Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India and Claymont, Delaware, United States 
Founded: 2017

In the competitive world of business software, ITILITE has carved a distinctive niche by reimagining how companies handle travel and expense management. Founded in 2017 by Mayank Kukreja and Anish Khadiya, this tech-forward company has rapidly evolved from a promising startup to a global player with an impressive client portfolio spanning small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. 

ITILITE’s comprehensive SaaS-based solution integrates travel booking and expense management into a single, streamlined platform. The company’s approach is refreshingly different from traditional systems that keep these functions separate. 

“We designed our platform to address the entire journey from travel planning to reimbursement processing,” explains Mayank Kukreja, Co-founder and CEO of ITILITE. “Companies today need solutions that evolve with their needs, not just maintain existing processes.” 

Operating across India, the United States, and Southeast Asia, ITILITE has positioned itself as an innovation partner for forward-thinking organizations. Kukreja notes that their ideal clients are those eager to embrace new approaches that improve existing processes rather than simply preserving outdated methods. 

The platform’s efficiency metrics tell a compelling story. ITILITE reduces booking turnaround time to just 90 seconds through personalized options and automated approval workflows—a dramatic improvement over traditional booking methods. 

“When we built ITILITE, we focused on making every interaction faster and more intuitive,” Kukreja says. “The 90-second booking time isn’t just a number—it represents hours saved across an organization that can be redirected to more valuable work.” 

The expense management side delivers equally impressive results. Employees can upload receipts from any location, making the filing process twice as fast and resulting in reimbursements that arrive five times sooner than with conventional systems. These improvements translate to a 40% boost in financial productivity while ensuring organizations remain audit-ready at all times. 

ITILITE’s platform employs sophisticated algorithms that analyze past preferences to present cost-effective flight and hotel booking options. This intelligent approach helps client companies reduce their overall travel expenses by an impressive 30%. 

“Cost savings aren’t just about finding the cheapest options,” Kukreja points out. “It’s about finding the right balance between cost, convenience, and company policy. Our algorithms do precisely that—they learn from each booking to create a more personalized experience that naturally drives down costs.” 

Perhaps ITILITE’s most forward-thinking innovation is “Mastermind,” which Kukreja describes as the world’s first virtual travel consultant. 

“Mastermind analyzes your entire travel and expense program, benchmarks it against your competitors’ policies, and delivers actionable insights based on comprehensive data analysis,” he explains. “It’s like having a travel program consultant available 24/7, continuously working to optimize your spending and policies.” 

The company’s impact is reflected in its impressive customer base of over 500,000 users globally, spanning more than 230 companies of varying sizes. This broad adoption has earned ITILITE a perfect 100 Net Promoter Score in G2’s Spring Report 2021—an exceptional achievement in customer satisfaction. 

ITILITE’s value proposition was put to the ultimate test during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the travel industry faced unprecedented challenges, ITILITE achieved 5X growth, with bookings through its platform increasing by 200%. 

“The pandemic forced companies to reassess every aspect of their operations, including travel,” Kukreja reflects. “Organizations discovered that having an agile, efficient travel and expense management system wasn’t just about convenience—it became essential for business continuity and adapting to rapidly changing conditions.” 

This counter-trend success during a global travel downturn highlights the fundamental efficiencies ITILITE brings to corporate travel and expense management—proving that even in the most challenging times, the right technology can create significant advantages. 

From Pain Point to Innovation: The ITILITE Origin Story 

Behind every disruptive business solution lies a set of personal experiences that sparked the initial idea. For ITILITE, the path from concept to market-leading platform began with the founders’ own frustrations with outdated corporate travel systems and their vision for something fundamentally better. 

“When you spend years navigating clunky corporate travel systems, you start to wonder why business processes lag so far behind consumer experiences,” says Kukreja. “The breaking point for me came after booking personal travel on my phone in minutes, then spending hours the next day arranging a business trip through our company’s travel desk.” 

During their respective careers—Kukreja’s 14+ years at McKinsey and Mynda in product management and business strategy, and Khadiya’s 15+ years in company building and market strategy—both founders repeatedly encountered the stark contrast between modern digital experiences in personal life and the antiquated systems dominating business travel. 

Their investigation revealed two critical pain points in the industry. First, businesses were spending enormous sums on travel—often 5-6% of total revenue in sectors like technology and pharmaceuticals. Traditional cost control methods typically yielded minimal savings (around 2-3%) while creating significant employee dissatisfaction through rigid policies and cumbersome approval processes. 

“Companies were essentially choosing between making employees happy or controlling costs,” Kukreja explains. “We saw this as a false choice. With the right approach, you could actually achieve both objectives simultaneously.” 

Second, they observed that corporate travel remained stubbornly anchored in outdated practices. While consumer travel had undergone digital transformation, business travel still relied heavily on phone calls and emails—methods that felt increasingly inappropriate for the digital age. 

“The technology gap was striking,” notes Kukreja. “People were using smartphones and AI-powered apps in their personal lives, then turning around and sending emails to travel desks for business trips. It didn’t make sense.” 

This disconnect between modern digital expectations and the reality of business travel management presented a clear opportunity. Kukreja and Khadiya recognized that by combining advanced technology with human insights, they could create a solution that addressed both the efficiency and experience aspects of corporate travel. 

Their professional backgrounds provided the perfect complement of skills to tackle this challenge. Kukreja brought deep expertise in product management and business strategy, while Khadiya contributed valuable experience in building companies and developing market strategies. 

“We approached the problem from different angles,” Kukreja recalls. “I was obsessed with creating an intuitive user experience that would drive adoption, while Anish focused on building a scalable business model and go-to-market strategy. This combination proved powerful as we moved from concept to execution.” 

The vision for ITILITE crystallized around creating a platform that would eliminate the inefficiencies of traditional business travel management while simultaneously improving the user experience. The founders understood that success would require more than incremental improvements—it would demand a fundamental rethinking of how business travel and expenses were managed. 

This vision ultimately materialized into ITILITE’s comprehensive platform that combines cutting-edge technology with user-centric design to transform the corporate travel experience from booking through reimbursement. 

Building a Business and Winning Customer Loyalty 

The transformation of ITILITE from concept to thriving enterprise represents a masterclass in identifying market needs and executing with precision. What began as a simple incentive-based travel savings tool evolved into a comprehensive platform addressing multiple pain points across the corporate travel ecosystem. 

Starting a business requires more than just a good idea—it demands adaptation, strategic funding, and the right talent to bring vision to life. For ITILITE, this journey began with a deceptively straightforward concept that quickly expanded in scope as the founders gained deeper insights into industry challenges. 

“Our initial idea was actually quite narrow,” Kukreja reveals. “We wanted to help companies incentivize employees to save on travel expenses. But as we talked with potential customers, we quickly realized we were only scratching the surface of a much larger problem.” 

The initial concept for ITILITE centered on helping companies incentivize employees to save on travel expenses. While early customer conversations validated this approach, Kukreja and his team quickly realized that the problems with corporate travel ran much deeper. As they explored the intricate details of travel and expense management, they identified numerous inefficiencies—from sluggish booking processes to manual expense tracking and convoluted approval workflows. 

“What we discovered was eye-opening,” says Kukreja. “Companies were struggling with the entire travel management process, not just the cost aspect. Employees were wasting hours on bookings, finance teams were drowning in paperwork, and managers were stuck in approval bottlenecks. We knew then that we needed to think bigger.” 

This discovery prompted a pivot toward developing a more comprehensive solution that would address these interconnected challenges. The result was a fully integrated travel and expense management platform that tackled the entire process from end to end. 

With a compelling product vision and early market validation, ITILITE secured seed funding led by Matrix Partners. The company achieved a significant milestone by partnering with Capillary Technologies as its first customer. What began as a limited pilot program in a single department blossomed into a five-year partnership utilizing ITILITE’s full suite of products. 

“Getting that first customer was crucial,” Kukreja explains. “Capillary took a chance on us when we were still refining our product. They started using our platform in just one department, but the results were so convincing that they quickly expanded adoption across their entire organization. Five years later, they’re still with us—that kind of loyalty speaks volumes about the value we deliver.” 

Building on this foundation, ITILITE assembled a talented team, with many early hires remaining with the company and contributing substantially to its growth. This collective effort has fueled impressive funding success, including a $4.2 million Series A round in January 2019, a $13 million Series B round in 2020, and a $29 million Series C round in 2022—figures that reflect strong investor confidence in the company’s direction. 

“Our funding journey mirrors our product evolution,” notes Kukreja. “Each round has allowed us to expand our vision and capabilities. The $29 million Series C round in particular has been transformative, enabling us to accelerate our global expansion and invest more deeply in product innovation.” 

To effectively reach potential clients, ITILITE developed detailed buyer personas including travel managers, administrators, CEOs, and CTOs, allowing for precisely targeted communication strategies. 

The company’s approach to attracting and retaining customers combines product differentiation with robust support systems and sophisticated marketing strategies. ITILITE’s integrated platform provides a centralized location for all travel spending while offering customized booking options that balance convenience with cost-effectiveness. 

“Different stakeholders care about different aspects of travel management,” Kukreja points out. “CFOs focus on cost control, employees prioritize convenience, and travel managers need comprehensive visibility. Our platform addresses all these needs simultaneously, which is why it resonates across the organization.” 

The self-booking tool gives clients complete control over the process, yet ITILITE’s professional team maintains ongoing communication through business reviews to ensure customers maximize the platform’s capabilities. Another distinctive feature—the incentivization system that rewards employees for cost-conscious travel choices—has proven particularly popular with clients. 

ITILITE distinguishes itself from competitors through 24/7 omnichannel support and an emphasis on traveler safety. The company prides itself on resolving customer issues within 30 minutes, significantly outpacing industry norms of 2-3 days. 

“In travel, problems need immediate solutions,” Kukreja emphasizes. “When an employee is stuck at an airport or needs to change plans due to a client emergency, waiting 2-3 days for help isn’t an option. Our 30-minute resolution guarantee has been a game-changer for client satisfaction.” 

The marketing approach evolved substantially as the company matured. Initially focused almost exclusively on outbound sales to educate potential customers about their unique product, Kukreja and his co-founder soon recognized the limitations of this single-channel strategy. They brought marketing specialists onboard and developed a more diversified approach. 

This evolution began with establishing a cohesive brand identity—unifying their logo, tagline, and messaging to position ITILITE as a tech-savvy ally in travel and expense management. The company then crafted targeted communications for various buyer personas at different stages of the purchasing journey. 

Today, ITILITE employs a balanced mix of organic and paid marketing strategies. Their organic efforts include publishing blogs, newsletters, and ebooks addressing industry challenges and solutions. The company maintains active presences across social media platforms, recently surpassing 20,000 followers on LinkedIn. Their paid initiatives span Google advertising and print placements, including a notable front-page feature in India’s Economic Times newspaper. 

“Marketing in B2B requires patience and precision,” says Kukreja. “We’ve found that educational content performs exceptionally well—material that helps travel and finance professionals solve real problems, whether they use our platform or not. This approach builds trust and positions us as industry experts, not just another vendor.” 

Beyond promoting their offerings, ITILITE prioritizes listening to customers through regular business reviews across multiple platforms that function as digital word-of-mouth. These forums allow satisfied clients to share their positive experiences, influencing potential customers. This approach has generated significant recognition on the G2 platform, where ITILITE has secured a leadership position. 

Accelerating Growth and Charting the Path Forward 

The evolution of business software companies often follows a predictable arc—from scrappy startup to established player. ITILITE, however, has managed to maintain its innovative edge while achieving substantial scale, a balance that eludes many growing enterprises as they navigate the tricky waters of expansion. 

The present and future of ITILITE tell a compelling story of strategic expansion, smart capital deployment, and a razor-sharp focus on continuous improvement. With substantial financial backing and an expanding international footprint, the company appears poised for its next phase of growth. 

“Growth without direction is just chaos,” Kukreja says, reflecting on the company’s expansion strategy. “We’ve been methodical about how we scale—always asking whether each new initiative enhances our core value proposition or distracts from it.” 

Funding is the lifeblood of growth-stage companies, providing the resources needed to scale operations, refine products, and capture market share. ITILITE’s recent capital influx positions the company to build on its established momentum while pursuing ambitious plans for product enhancement and market development. 

The recent $29 million Series C funding round, completed in April 2022, marks a significant milestone in ITILITE’s development trajectory. This investment, led by Tiger Global and Dharana Capital with participation from existing investors Matrix Partners India and Tenacity Ventures, validates the company’s business model and growth potential while providing substantial resources for its next expansion phase. 

“The Series C round isn’t just about the capital—it’s about the partnership,” explains Kukreja. “Having investors like Tiger Global and Dharana Capital brings strategic expertise that’s just as valuable as the funding itself. They’ve helped scale numerous B2B SaaS companies and provide invaluable guidance as we expand internationally.” 

ITILITE’s market penetration has reached impressive levels, with over 500,000 users across more than 230 companies. Their client roster includes notable names such as Swiggy, Byjus, Ula, and Automation Anywhere, spanning markets in India, the United States, and Southeast Asia. This diverse geographic and industry presence demonstrates the broad applicability of their solution. 

“What excites me about our client portfolio is the variety,” Kukreja notes. “We serve companies from fast-growing startups to established enterprises, across tech, food delivery, education, and manufacturing. This diversity proves our platform works across different business contexts and geographic regions.” 

Despite rapid growth, Kukreja emphasizes that product enhancement remains a core priority. This focus on continuous improvement has yielded tangible results—customers now realize an 8X return on investment, and the company has achieved 5X growth since its Series B funding round in 2020. These metrics reflect both the value ITILITE delivers to clients and its effective execution strategy. 

“The 8X ROI figure isn’t arbitrary—it comes from rigorous measurement of time saved in booking, expense processing, and direct travel cost reduction,” says Kukreja. “We track these metrics obsessively because they prove our platform isn’t just nice to have; it’s delivering measurable financial benefits.” 

On the organizational front, ITILITE has assembled a team of over 300 professionals dedicated to advancing the company’s mission. This human capital represents a crucial asset for maintaining quality while pursuing ambitious growth objectives. 

“Our team is everything,” Kukreja emphasizes. “Software ultimately comes down to people—their creativity, their understanding of customer problems, and their dedication to solving those problems elegantly. We’ve been fortunate to attract professionals who are genuinely passionate about transforming corporate travel.” 

Looking ahead, ITILITE plans to intensify its product innovation efforts, with particular emphasis on enhancing control features and improving interface intuitiveness. The company intends to strengthen its workflow and analytics engines to meet complex enterprise requirements while preserving the simplicity valued by smaller, more agile clients. 

“The challenge as we grow is maintaining the balance between power and simplicity,” explains Kukreja. “Enterprise clients need sophisticated controls and customization, while smaller companies value immediacy and ease of use. We’re investing heavily in creating an interface that adapts intelligently to different user needs.” 

Beyond product development, ITILITE will continue investing in community-building and knowledge-sharing initiatives like Top Drawer Travel Talks and “The Orange Hour.” These programs foster peer learning while positioning the company as a thought leader in corporate travel management. Additionally, the leadership team plans to expand their workforce strategically to enhance customer support capabilities and maintain service quality during the growth phase. 

“Community initiatives like Top Drawer Travel Talks aren’t just marketing events—they create genuine value by connecting travel managers who face similar challenges,” Kukreja says. “The insights shared during these sessions influence our product roadmap and help us stay attuned to evolving market needs.” 

Wisdom from the Trenches: Entrepreneurial Insights 

The entrepreneurial journey is often portrayed as a highlight reel of visionary brilliance and bold declarations. Yet behind the public success stories lie countless moments of uncertainty, learning, and adaptation that truly define a founder’s path. For ITILITE’s co-founder, these quieter moments have shaped his approach to leadership as much as any strategic breakthrough. 

Starting and scaling a business represents one of the most challenging yet potentially rewarding professional journeys. Having built ITILITE from concept to international success, Kukreja offers perspective that carries the weight of firsthand experience navigating the complex terrain of entrepreneurship. 

In business environments that often celebrate confidence and expertise, embracing intellectual humility can seem counterintuitive. However, this approach creates space for growth, collaboration, and breakthrough thinking that overconfidence might otherwise stifle. 

“The most dangerous moment for any startup isn’t running out of cash—it’s when the founders start believing they have all the answers,” Kukreja says with conviction. “That’s when innovation stops and decline begins, even if it takes years to show up in your metrics.” 

When asked about advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, Kukreja offers a refreshingly unconventional perspective: “be the dumbest person in the room.” This approach, he explains, serves two vital purposes. First, it compels founders to seek out and recruit team members who possess greater intelligence and motivation than themselves. Second, it creates psychological safety around asking fundamental questions that others might avoid for fear of appearing uninformed. 

“I tell every entrepreneur I mentor: if you’re the smartest person at your company, you’ve made a catastrophic hiring mistake,” Kukreja states bluntly. “Your job isn’t to know everything—it’s to create an environment where the collective intelligence of your team can solve problems in ways you never could alone.” 

The true value emerges from these basic questions. At minimum, they provide educational opportunities that enhance the questioner’s understanding. More significantly, they often prompt others to reexamine long-held assumptions that may no longer serve the company’s objectives. By prioritizing learning over impression management, entrepreneurs create environments where innovation can flourish. 

“Some of our biggest breakthroughs at ITILITE came from asking questions that seemed almost embarrassingly simple,” Kukreja reflects. “Questions like ‘Why do companies need travel policies at all?’ or ‘What if we completely eliminated approval workflows?’ These questions force everyone to justify conventional practices rather than blindly accepting them.” 

This philosophy appears to have informed ITILITE’s approach to talent acquisition and organizational culture. The company’s growth trajectory suggests that prioritizing team capability over founder ego has yielded substantial dividends, enabling the rapid development of sophisticated solutions to complex industry problems. 

“We’ve passed on technically brilliant candidates who couldn’t handle being challenged or questioned,” Kukreja reveals. “Cultural fit for us means being comfortable with intellectual confrontation—not in a hostile way, but in service of finding the best solution regardless of where it comes from.” 

Kukreja’s advice runs counter to stereotypical images of entrepreneurs as all-knowing visionaries, instead suggesting that successful company building requires intellectual curiosity, openness to learning, and the confidence to admit knowledge gaps. This perspective shifts the founder’s role from omniscient leader to chief learner—creating space for the collective intelligence of the team to drive innovation and problem-solving. 

“The phrase ‘I don’t know’ should be the most frequent thing founders say,” Kukreja insists. “Followed immediately by ‘but I’ll find out’ or ‘who would know this?’ That simple admission creates space for others to contribute their expertise rather than deferring to the founder’s opinion.” 

For entrepreneurs just starting their journey, this mindset offers a practical framework for balancing confidence with humility, assertion with inquiry, and leadership with learning—essential balancing acts for navigating the unpredictable path from startup to success. 

“Building ITILITE has been the hardest and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done,” Kukreja concludes. “The key lesson I’ve learned is that success doesn’t come from having all the answers—it comes from asking better questions and building a team capable of answering them together. That’s the real work of entrepreneurship.” 

Success Factors: Why Did ITILITE Succeed? 

• Problem-driven innovation – The founders identified genuine pain points in corporate travel through their own experiences, then expanded their understanding through customer conversations. They evolved from a simple incentive tool to a comprehensive platform based on market needs. 

• Market timing – They recognized the significant gap between consumer travel technology and outdated corporate travel management systems, entering the market at a time when digital transformation was becoming a priority. 

• Comprehensive solution approach – Rather than addressing isolated issues, ITILITE created an integrated platform that handles the entire travel and expense lifecycle, from booking to reimbursement. 

• Measurable ROI – The platform delivers quantifiable benefits that appeal to decision-makers: 90-second booking times, 40% boost in financial productivity, 30% reduction in travel expenses, and an overall 8X return on investment. 

• Leadership philosophy – Kukreja’s “be the dumbest person in the room” approach led to hiring exceptional talent and creating a culture that questions assumptions and prioritizes continuous learning. 

• Strategic fundraising – The company secured progressively larger funding rounds ($4.2M Series A, $13M Series B, $29M Series C) which enabled them to scale operations and expand internationally. 

• Customer-centric product development – They maintained focus on product enhancement even during rapid growth, continuously improving their platform based on customer feedback. 

• Superior customer support – Their 24/7 omnichannel support and 30-minute issue resolution significantly outpaces industry norms, creating a competitive advantage. 

• Adaptability during crisis – While the travel industry struggled during COVID-19, ITILITE achieved 5X growth and 200% increase in bookings, demonstrating the essential nature of their solution. 

• Balanced marketing approach – They evolved from pure outbound sales to a sophisticated mix of thought leadership content, educational resources, and strategic advertising across multiple channels. 

• Talent retention – Many early hires remained with the company through its growth phases, providing continuity and institutional knowledge. 

• Community-building initiatives – Programs like Top Drawer Travel Talks and “The Orange Hour” positioned ITILITE as an industry thought leader while fostering valuable connections among travel managers. 

Key Lessons to Learn 

1. Start with real pain points: ITILITE began with the founders’ own frustrations with corporate travel systems. Their personal experience helped them identify genuine market needs rather than creating a solution in search of a problem. 

2. Be willing to pivot: What started as a simple incentive tool for travel savings evolved into a comprehensive platform. The founders were open to expanding their vision when customer conversations revealed deeper industry problems. 

3. Balance technology with human support: Despite creating an advanced technology platform, ITILITE maintained focus on human service, with 24/7 support and 30-minute issue resolution times that far exceed industry standards. 

4. Create measurable impact: ITILITE’s success is built on delivering quantifiable results—90-second booking times, 40% boost in financial productivity, 30% reduction in travel costs. These concrete metrics made their value proposition clear to clients. 

5. Intellectual humility drives innovation: Kukreja’s advice to “be the dumbest person in the room” reflects how questioning assumptions and admitting knowledge gaps can lead to breakthrough thinking and better hiring decisions. 

6. Diversity your marketing approach: The company evolved from relying solely on outbound sales to a sophisticated mix of content marketing, thought leadership, and strategic advertising across multiple channels. 

7. Maintain product focus during scaling: Even as they grew rapidly, ITILITE kept product enhancement as a core priority, continuously improving their platform rather than just chasing expansion. 

8. Build community, not just products: Initiatives like Top Drawer Travel Talks created value beyond their software by connecting travel managers and fostering knowledge sharing. 

9. Crisis can accelerate adoption: During COVID-19, when the travel industry faced unprecedented challenges, ITILITE achieved 5X growth—demonstrating how disruption can accelerate digital transformation. 

10. Balance power with simplicity: As they grew to serve both enterprises and smaller companies, ITILITE worked to create sophisticated capabilities while maintaining an intuitive interface—recognizing that different customers have different needs. 

11. First customers are strategic partners: Their relationship with Capillary Technologies evolved from a limited pilot to a long-term partnership, showing the value of treating early adopters as partners rather than just customers. 

12. Create value at multiple organizational levels: ITILITE’s platform addresses the needs of various stakeholders—cost control for CFOs, convenience for employees, and visibility for travel managers—which helped drive organization-wide adoption. 

Opportunity Matrix 

Founder Background 

• Mayank Kukreja: 14+ years at McKinsey and Mynda in product management and business strategy 

• Anish Khadiya: 15+ years in company building and market strategy 

• Complementary skill sets: Kukreja focused on product management and business strategy, while Khadiya brought expertise in company building and market strategies 

• Both founders experienced firsthand frustrations with outdated corporate travel management systems 

Problem Identification 

• Stark contrast between modern digital experiences in personal travel and antiquated systems in business travel 

• Business travel still relied on phone calls and emails despite digital transformation in consumer travel 

• Companies spending 5-6% of total revenue on travel (especially in tech and pharmaceutical sectors) 

• Traditional cost control methods yielded minimal savings (2-3%) while creating employee dissatisfaction 

• Inefficiencies throughout the travel management process: slow booking, manual expense tracking, convoluted approval workflows 

Market Opportunity 

• Corporate travel management systems hadn’t kept pace with consumer travel technology 

• Digital transformation creating expectations for better user experiences in business processes 

• Businesses seeking to control travel costs (typically 5-6% of revenue) more effectively 

• Need for integrated solutions connecting travel booking and expense management 

• Global market spanning India, United States, and Southeast Asia 

Competitive Landscape 

• Traditional travel management companies using outdated technology and processes 

• Separate systems for travel booking and expense management, lacking integration 

• Competitors typically offering 2-3 day response times for customer service issues 

• Most solutions focused either on cost control OR employee satisfaction, not both 

• Few competitors using AI and data analytics to optimize travel programs 

Market Research 

• Initial validation of incentive-based travel savings tool 

• Customer conversations revealed deeper problems across the entire travel management process 

• Identified multiple stakeholder needs: CFOs (cost control), employees (convenience), travel managers (visibility) 

• Research indicated a 30% potential reduction in travel costs with right approach 

• Identified enterprises and growing companies across various sectors as target customers 

Business Model 

• SaaS-based subscription platform 

• Integrated travel booking and expense management solution 

• Self-booking tool with customized options balancing convenience and cost 

• Incentivization system rewarding employees for cost-conscious travel choices 

• 24/7 omnichannel support with 30-minute issue resolution guarantee 

Initial Capital 

• Seed funding led by Matrix Partners 

• First major customer: Capillary Technologies (began as limited pilot, evolved to 5-year partnership) 

• $4.2 million Series A round in January 2019 

Product/Service Development 

• Evolution from simple incentive tool to comprehensive platform 

• Integrated travel booking and expense management into single solution 

• Platform reduces booking turnaround time to 90 seconds 

• AI-powered “Mastermind” virtual travel consultant for program optimization 

• Mobile-friendly expense management allowing receipt uploads from any location 

Marketing Strategy 

• Initial focus on outbound sales to educate potential customers 

• Evolved to include cohesive brand identity (logo, tagline, messaging) 

• Targeted communications for different buyer personas (travel managers, administrators, CEOs, CTOs) 

• Mix of organic and paid strategies: Content marketing: blogs, newsletters, ebooks on industry challenges, Active social media presence (20,000+ LinkedIn followers), Strategic advertising on Google and print placements (including Economic Times front page) 

• Regular business reviews and digital word-of-mouth on platforms like G2 

Milestones 

• Founded in 2017 

• Secured Capillary Technologies as first major customer 

• $4.2 million Series A round (January 2019) 

• $13 million Series B round (2020) 

• 5X growth during COVID-19 pandemic 

• $29 million Series C round (April 2022) 

• Reached 500,000+ users across 230+ companies 

• Leadership position on G2 platform 

• Perfect 100 Net Promoter Score in G2’s Spring Report 2021 

Scalability 

• Team expansion to 300+ professionals 

• Geographic expansion across India, US, and Southeast Asia 

• Client growth from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies 

• Platform adaptation to meet both enterprise requirements and small business needs 

• Continuous enhancement of workflow and analytics engines 

• Strategic workforce expansion to maintain service quality during growth 

Potential Risks and Challenges 

• Balancing product complexity for enterprises while maintaining simplicity for smaller clients 

• Maintaining service quality during rapid expansion 

• Competition from established travel management companies adopting digital transformation 

• Potential market disruptions (as demonstrated during COVID-19) 

• Attracting and retaining specialized talent in competitive tech market 

• Managing international expansion across different regulatory environments 

Key Performance Indicators/Metrics 

• Booking turnaround time: 90 seconds (vs. traditional methods) 

• Financial productivity improvement: 40% 

• Travel expense reduction: 30% 

• ROI for customers: 8X 

• Customer satisfaction: Perfect 100 Net Promoter Score 

• Growth during pandemic: 5X overall growth, 200% increase in bookings 

• User base: 500,000+ users across 230+ companies 

• Support response time: 30 minutes (vs. industry norm of 2-3 days) 

• Customer retention: Long-term partnerships (e.g., 5-year relationship with first client)