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TapTrip provides a self-serve platform for managed business travel and expenses. The system offers a consolidated solution for booking and overseeing flights, hotels, rail, and ground transportation, aiming to reduce friction in corporate travel. It empowers businesses with an intuitive online tool to automate and simplify their travel management.
Thomas Young, Jack Timblin, and Neil Ruth founded the company in 2018. They identified a market need for an efficient, integrated system addressing complexities in traditional business travel management. This insight led to developing a platform enabling companies to autonomously control travel and expense operations.
The platform caters primarily to small and medium-sized businesses, including specialized sectors like marine, energy, and resources. TapTrip envisions a future where corporate travel is seamlessly managed, offering transparent control and an improved user experience. The company advances its offerings to meet evolving business demands.
TapTrip has raised $1.2M across 2 funding rounds.
TapTrip has raised $1.2M in total across 2 funding rounds.
TapTrip has raised $1.2M in total across 2 funding rounds.
TapTrip's investors include KB Partners, Sharp Alpha Advisors, Tercera.
# TapTrip: Business Travel Technology for SMEs
TapTrip is a B2B travel technology platform that simplifies business travel booking and expense management for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).[1][2] Founded in 2018, the company addresses a critical gap in the corporate travel market: 92% of the SME segment is underserved by traditional travel management solutions.[3]
The platform functions as an end-to-end travel technology solution that makes booking business travel intuitive while helping organizations control costs through enforced travel policies and streamlined expense tracking.[1] By positioning itself as the "Netflix of business travel," TapTrip targets companies that lack dedicated travel management infrastructure but need better visibility and control over travel spending.[3]
TapTrip was founded in Manchester, UK, in 2018 by Thomas Young (CEO), Neil Ruth (COO), and Jack Timblin.[5][6] The founders built the platform specifically with SMEs in mind, recognizing that small and medium-sized businesses lacked access to user-friendly travel management tools comparable to enterprise solutions.[2]
The company gained early validation through strategic partnerships with established players in the travel industry. A pivotal moment came with its partnership with ATPI, a leading global travel management company (TMC), which provided TapTrip access to ATPI's UK customer base and positioned the startup as a credible solution within the corporate travel ecosystem.[3] This partnership also established a growth model: TapTrip planned to forge similar agreements with other TMCs to expand market reach while removing barriers to entry for SMEs.[3]
TapTrip operates within the corporate travel technology sector, a space experiencing significant disruption as digital-first solutions challenge legacy travel management systems. The startup capitalizes on a fundamental market inefficiency: the SME segment, representing a substantial portion of business travel spending, has been systematically underserved by traditional TMCs focused on enterprise clients.[3]
The timing is particularly favorable as SMEs increasingly digitize operations and seek software solutions that integrate seamlessly into their workflows. By positioning itself as a next-generation booking platform rather than a full-service TMC, TapTrip avoids direct competition with incumbents while creating a complementary ecosystem that benefits both startups and established travel management companies.[3]
TapTrip's trajectory suggests a company positioned to capture significant value in an underserved market segment. The partnership strategy with established TMCs—rather than attempting to disrupt them—demonstrates pragmatic growth thinking and reduces barriers to customer acquisition. As SMEs continue to professionalize their operations and seek cost-control tools, platforms that simplify travel management without requiring organizational restructuring will likely see sustained demand.
The company's future likely hinges on expanding its TMC partnership network beyond ATPI, deepening integration with expense management systems, and potentially expanding into adjacent areas like travel policy optimization and employee wellness. In a landscape where enterprise travel technology is mature but fragmented, TapTrip's focus on the underserved SME segment represents a genuine market opportunity with room for meaningful growth.
TapTrip has raised $1.2M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $990K Seed in March 2019.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2019 | $990K Seed | — | KB Partners, Sharp Alpha Advisors, Tercera | Announced |
| Jun 1, 2018 | $220K Seed | — | KB Partners, Sharp Alpha Advisors, Tercera | Announced |
