In an exclusive update to EU-Startups, Eindhoven-based Maps Untold, a TravelTech startup, has raised €350k in funding to officially launch its AI-powered personalised city guide platform in two months time.
The round saw participation from Rabobank and the Leisure Ontwikkel Fonds, and the funds will be used to complete the company’s minimum marketable product, expand its user base, and validate its scalable business model.
“We’re using this funding primarily to finalise our minimum marketable product, scale in users and validate our business model also on scalability,” Founder Dennis van Ravenstein told EU-Startups. “Additionally, we’re enhancing our data infrastructure and algorithms to ensure comprehensive coverage across Europe and beyond.”
Founded in 2021 by Dennis van Ravenstein and Gabriella Gomes Branco, Maps Untold is taking on traditional players like Tripadvisor by delivering hyper-personalised travel recommendations, removing the clutter of generic ‘top 10’ lists and often untrustworthy online reviews.
The startup leverages AI to provide travellers with unique suggestions based on their tastes, interests and previous experiences. For example, users answer a few simple questions—such as where they like to have coffee or favourite past travel spots—and the platform delivers a curated list of hidden gems, offbeat cafés, and locations rarely found in mainstream travel guides.
The company’s recommendation engine draws on millions of data points and integrates seamlessly with external digital environments including hotel apps, tourism platforms, and reservation software. Its technology is offered free of charge to partners, who benefit from added value and co-generated revenue through bookings and ticket sales.
Maps Untold’s model also reportedly supports local economies by directing visitors toward independent businesses and lesser-known venues, aiming to encourage more sustainable travel habits.
The latest funding injection will be used to polish the platform ahead of its upcoming official launch in roughly two months. Part of the investment is also earmarked for infrastructure and algorithm enhancements, which will ensure the system can provide accurate and personalised recommendations across Europe and eventually beyond.
The company has set ambitious goals: by the end of the year, it aims to exceed 250,000 monthly active users through integration partners and generate at least €10k in monthly recurring revenue—key milestones to prove its monetisation and growth strategy.
In an increasingly crowded digital travel space, Maps Untold is betting that customised experiences and an anti-algorithm approach to discovery will appeal to modern travellers.
As traditional guidebooks and review-driven sites struggle to stay relevant, this young Dutch venture is positioning itself as a compelling alternative in the evolving travel ecosystem.
