Boop Launches AI‑Powered Social Travel Planning App
Key Points
- Boop uses AI to turn real trip data into shareable, bookable itineraries.
- Founder Nancy Li Smith previously led AR/VR projects at Meta and Microsoft.
- The app tracks location and photo metadata with user permission.
- Creators earn affiliate commissions, typically 10%‑25% of bookings.
- Boop raised $3.2 million in pre‑seed funding from TripAdvisor and Marriott backers.
- Launch begins on Tuesday with an invite‑only mobile release and public waitlist.
- Future features include calendar integration and deeper partner APIs.
Boop, a new travel‑tech startup founded by former Meta and Microsoft AR/VR lead Nancy Li Smith, is rolling out an AI‑driven platform that transforms real‑world trip data into shareable, bookable itineraries. By capturing users' location and photo metadata, the app creates shoppable travel guides that friends and creators can copy and personalize. Boop also embeds affiliate links, allowing creators to earn commissions on bookings. Backed by investors from TripAdvisor, Marriott and Expedia, the company raised a pre‑seed round and is launching on a mobile invite‑only basis with a public waitlist.
Introducing Boop
Boop is a travel‑tech startup that aims to reshape how people plan trips by turning social recommendations into fully bookable itineraries. The application leverages artificial intelligence to process location data and photo metadata from real trips, automatically generating itineraries that users can copy, personalize, and book through integrated affiliate partners.
Founder Vision
The company was founded by Nancy Li Smith, who previously led AR/VR innovation at Meta and Microsoft and served as executive vice president of growth and strategy at BrightAI. Smith created Boop after feeling there was no efficient way to remember or share her own travel recommendations. She also highlighted the emotional and logistical labor often shouldered by women, who make roughly 80% of travel decisions, and sought to alleviate that pressure with an automated solution.
How the App Works
When a user opts in, Boop tracks their movements in the background, similar to a fitness app, capturing stops, photos, and reservations. The AI then turns this data into a polished itinerary that can be shared via a “Boop with me” link. Friends can copy the itinerary with a single tap and further customize it through an AI chat interface, making the planning process minutes instead of weeks.
Creator Monetization
Boop embeds affiliate links from major travel platforms such as Expedia, Booking.com, Marriott and Viator. Creators earn a share of the commission—typically 10% to 25% of the booking fee—resulting in payouts of roughly 50 to 100 bucks per copy. This model provides a new revenue stream for travel influencers and ordinary users who share their trips.
Funding and Backing
The startup raised $3.2 million in pre‑seed funding, co‑led by BBG Ventures and Lynn Capital. Notable investors include Stephen Kaufer, co‑founder of TripAdvisor, and Stephanie Linnartz, former president of Marriott International. These backers bring deep expertise in travel and consumer behavior.
Launch Plans
Boop is launching on a mobile platform on Tuesday with an invite‑only rollout and a public waitlist for interested users. Future updates aim to integrate users’ calendars (with permission) to pull existing reservations into itineraries, further streamlining the travel planning experience.
Future Outlook
The company envisions a future where travelers simply say, “Copy my Boop,” instead of scouring reviews and travel sites. By turning every real trip into a shareable guide, Boop hopes to become the go‑to destination for booking travel, especially among younger generations who view travel differently than previous cohorts.