TBM Staff - Mumbai VELOCITY.travel, a next-gen business travel brand by wtfares, has secured an Angle round funding from New York-based angel investor Raj Shah at a valuation of USD 10 million pre-money. With plans to launch its revolutionary ZIPPY platform in April 2025, the company aims to redefine corporate travel and lifestyle management globally.
Founded in 2013, wtfares began as a bootstrap startup and became India’s first free flight cancellation platform, offering travelers unparalleled flexibility. Over the years, it expanded into AI-powered holiday planning, disrupting leisure travel with smart technology solutions.
In 2023, the company launched VELOCITY.travel, focusing exclusively on solving the pain points of business travel. With a client portfolio spanning 200+ enterprises globally and key players like Clevertap, Aries Agro Ltd, Allcargo logistics LTD, Former NYSE PLC, and Haldirams, VELOCITY.travel has rapidly become a preferred choice for managing complex corporate travel workflows, approvals, and multi-entity, multi-currency requirements.
Varun Sarda, CEO of VELOCITY.travel, expressed his excitement about the partnership with Raj Shah: “This funding is more than just capital; it’s a vote of confidence in our mission to redefine business travel. Over the past decade, we’ve reinvented ourselves time and again – from launching India’s first free flight cancellation platform to creating an AI-driven holiday engine and now leading the charge in business travel technology. Indian business travel today is where leisure travel was in 2004, stuck offline, but on the brink of a digital revolution with technology driving efficiency, compliance, and hyper-personalization. And with the introduction of ZIPPY, we’re taking this transformation a step further, reimagining what concierge services can be for frequent travellers and enterprises alike.”
Vedant Sarda, Chief Product Officer, added, “Our focus has always been on solving real problems for businesses. VELOCITY.travel simplifies corporate travel with robust workflows, approval mechanisms, and seamless multi-entity functionality. With this investment, we’re doubling down on creating a product that sets the benchmark for the industry. ZIPPY will take us to the next level, enabling our users to access a single platform for every aspect of their travel and lifestyle needs.”
Investor Raj Shah shared his vision behind backing VELOCITY.travel: “Business travel is a USD 1.5 trillion industry, and it’s ripe for innovation. When I first saw the VELOCITY.travel platform, I was absolutely mindblown. The level of sophistication, ease of use, and problem-solving capabilities were unlike anything I’ve seen, even in the U.S., where business travel tools are abundant. VELOCITY.travel is addressing challenges in a way that hasn’t been done before, and their potential to scale globally was immediately clear to me.
The team’s proven track record of resilience, innovation, and execution stood out. Their ability to not only pivot but stay profitable while building solutions that truly solve market needs is remarkable. With the launch of ZIPPY, they aren’t just refining business travel, they’re creating an entirely new category. I’m excited to support their journey as they bring this game-changing product to the global stage.”
As part of its ambitious growth roadmap, VELOCITY.travel is set to introduce ZIPPY, the world’s first concierge platform exclusively aimed at frequent fliers, SMBs, and businesses Launching in Q1 2025, ZIPPY promises to revolutionize the travel and lifestyle experience by offering services such as travel bookings for flights, hotels, and car rentals, venue reservations for meetings, events, and celebrations, lifestyle management, including securing tickets to sports events and entertainment, and customized travel insights for SMBs to optimize costs and enhance efficiency With ZIPPY, the company, aims to disrupt the travel and lifestyle management space, creating a one-stop solution for modern businesses and travelers.
Today, VELOCITY.travel operates with a team of 55+ professionals across four sales offices in India, delivering seamless corporate travel experiences worldwide. The company’s platform has been praised for its ability to streamline travel processes while offering 24/7 support, ensuring businesses can focus on growth without worrying about logistics.
With this funding, VELOCITY.travel and its soon-to-be-launched ZIPPY platform are set to continue their journey of transforming business travel and concierge services, making them smarter, faster, and better for enterprises and frequent travellers around the world.
