WeRoad, the Milan-based group travel startup, has raised a $58 million Series C round led by Airbnb as it prepares for its first major expansion outside Europe. The funding brings the company’s total capital raised to roughly $100 million and will finance WeRoad’s push into the U.S., beginning with Austin.

The new investment reflects a bet that the next generation of travel companies may look less like booking platforms and more like social platforms designed to facilitate real-world connections. 

The U.S. launch also arrives as loneliness, particularly among younger consumers, has become both a public health concern and an emerging business opportunity. When much of the tech industry remains focused on AI, WeRoad is positioning itself as part of the growing “IRL economy,” a category of startups monetizing offline interaction rather than screen time. Companies like Timeleft, 222, and Pie are pursuing similar ideas through dinners, clubs, events, and community-based experiences.

The idea behind WeRoad came from the founders—Paolo De Nadai, Fabio Bin, and Erika De Santi— seeking connection themselves. 

“It started from a very personal need. When you finish college and start working, it becomes harder to find people to travel with. Friends were settling down, having kids, moving away, or simply couldn’t align schedules anymore,” De Nadai told TechCrunch. “My cofounder Fabio and I both tried companies offering similar group travel experiences for solo travellers, but while the trips were good, something was missing. The guides were professional local experts, and the groups were mixed in age, and people didn’t really see eye to eye. People were traveling together, but not really connecting.”

The founders’ response was to redesign group travel around shared interests. WeRoad trips are primarily designed for younger travelers and grouped around shared interests and travel styles. Customers can book trips through the platform based on themes such as beach vacations or skiing. 

“We asked ourselves, ‘What if we created trips for Millennials and Gen Z travellers, bringing together people from the same age groups with shared cultural references but completely different backgrounds, and focused on creating real bonds between them?’” De Nadai added.

Before each trip begins, travelers are added to a WhatsApp group managed by the group leader so members can begin getting to know one another ahead of time. Groups typically include between eight and fifteen travelers.

“The biggest concern people have is rarely the destination,” De Nadai said, but usually concerns that they won’t connect with the group. To address that, WeRoad intentionally structures itineraries around social dynamics. More adventurous or collaborative activities are often scheduled early in the trip to help break the ice.

Most itineraries last between 10 and 12 days, though the company has also introduced shorter weekend formats aimed at first-time customers. According to WeRoad, roughly 60% of travelers eventually book another trip.

Additionally, instead of traditional tour guides, WeRoad has “group leaders,” coordinators closer in age to travelers who act more like travel companions. The company now works with more than 4,000 group leaders globally. 

“We’re not looking for destination experts, but for people with travel experience and strong soft skills. Can they lead a group, handle tension, adapt when plans change, and help strangers connect?” De Nadai said. 

WeRoad has also begun expanding beyond travel itself. In 2025, the company launched WeMeet, an app focused on local in-person gatherings, including dinners, hikes, yoga classes, running groups, after-work drinks, and board game nights. WeRoad says more than 50,000 people attended WeMeet events across 35 cities last year, while the app reached 150,000 downloads.

The company says WeMeet will also play a central role in its U.S. expansion strategy. Rather than immediately scaling nationwide, WeRoad plans to focus on a small number of cities first, beginning with Austin, where it will recruit group leaders, organize local events, and build community partnerships before expanding further.

“We’ll be launching WeMeet events across multiple U.S. cities throughout 2026, starting with Austin because of its incredible energy and vibrant community scene,” De Nadai said.

Whether companies can build lasting businesses around loneliness and social connection remains an open question. But investors are increasingly betting that the demand is real.

WeRoad says it generated €130 million in revenue in 2025, up 30% year over year, while taking more than 100,000 travelers on trips last year alone. Since launching in 2017, the company says it has organized travel for more than 300,000 customers across over 1,000 itineraries globally.