Accessible travel OTA Wheel the World raises $2M

Wheel the World, a platform for travelers with disabilities to book places to stay, things to do and multi-day trips, has raised $2 million in its seed round.

Chile Global Ventures and Dadneo led the round, with support from Plug and Play Tech Center and YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki.

Founded in 2018, Wheel the World’s site offers accommodations, things to do and trips in more than 50 destinations worldwide. It also has an “Accessibility Mapping System” that has detailed information submitted by volunteers, such as hotel room and bed measurements, to help users decide if a travel experience is suitable. 

The company says it will use the funding to add new destinations and experiences to its marketplace.

“Wheel the World exists to revolutionize the travel industry for people with disabilities,” says Alvaro Silberstein, co-founder and CEO.

“The world is emerging from the pandemic with a new appreciation and desire for transformative travel experiences. Our platform provides detailed accessibility information not found anywhere else. We offer a specialized user experience focused on removing barriers and making awe-inspiring destinations accessible for older travelers and people with disabilities.”

Silberstein, who is paralyzed from the waist down, was inspired to create the company with friend Camilo Navarro after the two made a trip to Chile thanks to the help of a crowdfunding campaign that enabled Silberstein to purchase a special wheelchair for hiking trails. 

“We want to make the world accessible. Currently, online information for travelers with disabilities is incomplete, incorrect and out-of-date, resulting in terrible experiences and unfortunate surprises,” Navarro, who serves as COO, says.

“This investment will allow us to continue to improve customer experience by developing our platform and mapping accessibility for thousands of destinations worldwide. We are passionate about giving the more than one billion people with disabilities the power to explore the world safely and confidently.”