Back in March 2020, we ran a story about an ADVRider inmate that had started a website called MOTOURISMO.  The site’s goal is to help riders find moto tours, training, and shipping worldwide.

Seed funding

One thing that endeavors such as Motourismo require is money.  Lots of it.  Particularly when the platform you are creating is a combined booking platform and online travel agency.

So it’s good news for co-founders Michael Carlin and Christoph Kähler.  The pair are trying to raise additional funding for the continued development and expansion of Motourismo’s capabilities and reach.  And now, the two founders are happy to announce that they have raised more than €1M in a seed funding round.

New investors

Motourismo’s new investors include the Dutch motorcycle apparel brand REV’IT!, business angels from the U.S., Israel, Europe, the Austrian Danube Angels network, and Hamburg-based IFB Innovationsstarter GmbH and its Corona Recovery Fund. In addition, the Howzat Ennea Group advised the startup on the transaction and is also participating in the round.  As a supporting media partner, ADVRider.com even helped out.  We hope to help drive awareness for Motourismo and their support of worldwide moto tour operators, moto training, and moto shipping.

Funding purpose

According to Motourismo CEO Michael Carlin, the funding will be used for further international expansion and technical development.

“We can now intensify our preparations for the upcoming travel boom at the foreseeable end of the pandemic at full speed.  We are convinced to invest in tourism and in high-quality, specific services for a demanding, international target group right now, even more so in a previously completely underestimated market.”

Motourismo’s CMO Christoph Kähler added:

“As a travel startup, being able to raise a seven-figure amount in the current situation is an impressive sign of the potential of our segment.  We are very much looking forward to continuing our successful path now with the support of our new, international shareholders.”

MOTOURISMO background

If you are not familiar with Motourismo, it’s a combined booking platform and online travel agency.  They are joining forces with around 100 special travel partners from all over the world.

In its beta phase, MOTOURISMO only launched in German-speaking countries.  Even so, it received the Best Travel Technology Award of the German Travel Industry Club in 2019.  Beginning in 2020, MOTOURISMO began serving the barely digitized mass market in the English language.

And now, for the first time on MOTOURISMO.com, the global target group of several hundred million motorcyclists will be able to search, find and book thousands of experiences quickly and easily, from small day trips to long-distance travel packages lasting several weeks. In addition, MOTOURISMO’s portfolio also is populated with motorcycle training courses and motorcycle shippers.  Not to be limited, other moto categories are planned in the future.

MOTOURISMO’s search engine lists the services of its partners. It provides motorcyclists with tools to find relevant trips, training, and shipping.  The site also provides granular filters for targeted search by region, date, and motorcycle-specific services and categories.

REV’IT partnership

REV’IT Sport International Managing Director Ivan Vos is excited to be partnering with MOTOURISMO.

“We are very excited to be part of MOTOURISMO’s journey into the future.  As a leading apparel brand in the motorcycle industry, our mission is to inspire people to ride. We do this not only by developing high-performance, well-designed and certified motorcycle apparel, but now also by offering specialized services and unique customer experiences.

Bringing the benefits of the MOTOURISMO platform to the attention of our global customer base, we provide access to a unique service and the opportunity for great riding experiences. At the same time, MOTOURISMO benefits from our reach through a variety of marketing-communication channels and may expect new platform users coming from the global REV’IT! riding community.”

With the completion of this funding round, MOTOURISMO will continue its existing partnership with Louis, Europe’s number one retailer of motorcycle apparel and accessories.

Other plans

As for the future, MOTOURISMO already has other new plans for the international motorcycle and travel industry.  Now with REV’IT a partner, special REV’IT MOTOURISMO experiences will be coming soon.

Even Michael Buller, the Chairman of the German Association of Online Travel Distributors VIR, sees the successful completion of this seed financing round as a “very successful signal to young founders, especially in Corona times.”  MOTOURISMO is a member of VIR, which includes more than 80 companies operating in digital tourism.

You can find more information about MOTOURISMO on their website.

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