Mapo Tapo, the startup that connects outdoor sports enthusiasts by organizing sporting trips worldwide, has successfully closed a €1.15 million seed round. This round welcomes major institutional investors into the company, which had previously raised a €355,000 pre-seed round. The newly secured capital will enable Mapo Tapo to accelerate the growth of users registered on its platform and further develop the technology supporting locally certified sports guides.
Mapo Tapo was founded at the end of 2020 and led by Daniele Calvo Pollino (formerly of Amazon). The founding team also includes Alessia Fontanari (formerly of McKinsey, Doctolib), Antonio Cambise (Chief Product Officer and Go-to-Market), and Alfredo Lanzetta (Chief Technology Officer). The platform, mapotapo.com, allows outdoor sports enthusiasts to book trips with certified guides and find adventure companions to share their experiences with.
This round was orchestrated with the support of the Argo acceleration program, a traveltech accelerator from the CDP Venture Capital Network promoted in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and managed by Zest (co-investor), alongside VeniSia, and backed by corporate partners such as Intesa Sanpaolo, Intesa Sanpaolo Innovation Center, Human Company, and the Italian School of Hospitality.
Mapo Tapo graduated from the first batch of Argo which continued to support the company’s growth with a follow-on investment of €200,000, contributing to a total round of €750,000, which also saw participation from Banca Finint, with advisory from the Doorway platform, Encelado Ventures, and several Business Angels.
In addition to the €750,000 raised a total of €400,000 was given to the company by the "Smart and Start" funding from Invitalia and additional contributions from the Ministry of Tourism.
"The Italian ecosystem, although sometimes complex, offers numerous opportunities for raising funds," said Daniele Calvo Pollino, CEO of Mapo Tapo. "Combining different funding sources can result in an ideal strategy, reducing dilution. CDP Venture Capital, Zest, and the Ministry of Tourism have been essential partners, not only financially but also from a strategic and operational standpoint. They helped validate our business model and refine internal processes. Thanks to their support, we’ve placed the professionalism of certified local guides at the core of our value proposition, a distinctive element in the Italian and international travel tech landscape."
Mapo Tapo’s offering continues to expand with a wide range of experiences: from climbing trips across Europe to over 100 experiences worldwide in hiking, mountaineering, high-altitude expeditions, snowshoeing, and freeride skiing.