ZOZI offers a two-part platform: ZOZI Advance, a reservations, payments and customer-management SaaS for merchants, and ZOZI.com, a marketplace for activities and getaways. Merchants pay a monthly subscription for the software while customers are charged a small transaction fee at booking. The company acquired real-time reservation system TripFlavor in 2013 and has been building out its reservation SaaS offerings since. ZOZI targets experience-focused consumers, particularly millennials, and competes with deal and travel players while operating more like OpenTable or Eventbrite for events. The startup has raised $45 million to date and plans to use new funding to expand to more merchants on ZOZI Advance and grow ZOZI.com. Zozi operates a marketplace that sells high-end, celebrity- and expert-guided local adventures and multi-day trips. Originally launched in 2010 as a daily-deals site, the company pivoted to curated, once-in-a-lifetime experiences and launched a "Gurus" product that pairs customers with experts and celebrities. Examples include kayaking with world-record holders, skiing with Jonny Moseley, backcountry snowboarding with Travis Rice, cooking with Michael Mina, and training with Ironman champion Chris Lieto. Zozi is available in more than 20 cities across the U.S. and Canada, sells related gear from outdoor brands, and employs 40+ people focused on curation. Financially, the company has raised a total of $17.5 million to date and recently closed $10 million in growth capital and debt in a Series B1 extension. Going forward, Zozi plans to expand its roster of celebrity experts, increase local experiences and gear offerings, improve booking and customer-relations technology, and expand deeper into eCommerce. Zozi offers deals on unique local experiences—surfing lessons, fly fishing, shark cage diving, Segway tours, and more—curated by a team of travel and adventure experts and booked on its website. The company operates primarily via web (no mobile apps yet) and leverages flash marketing as a core economic driver, though its founder resists labeling it a daily-deal site. Zozi states it enables millions to find and book experiences and positions itself in a market it estimates at roughly $60 billion. It guarantees a 100% money-back refund if customers do not love the experience. The company was founded in 2009 and is led by CEO TJ Sassani. Financially, Zozi has raised venture funding totaling $10 million to date, including a recent $7 million Series B. Zozi relaunched from EkoVenture with a shifted focus toward local activities rather than exotic travel. The site promotes deals on local experiences such as kayaking in San Francisco Bay, cocktail classes in Atlanta, and tubing on the Delaware River. Zozi partners with local activity vendors to provide members discounts and is currently running a promotion giving away $500,000 worth of activities. The company differentiates itself from general daily-deal sites by vetting activities and offering a 100% money-back guarantee if customers do not enjoy the experience. Zozi recently closed a $3 million Series A from ZIG Capital, Dave McClure’s 500 Startups, LaunchCapital and individual angels including Larry Bock and Dave Dolby. The relaunch and fundraising are aimed at reaching a broader class of consumers.

Total raised

$50M

Funding rounds

5

Latest round

Series C

Latest activity

Jul 2015