Team Startupcity

• AI-powered travel platform GydeXP, founded by IIT Delhi alumnus Aakarshan Saxena, raised pre-seed funding from SwiftSeed Ventures, Stay Circle, and Xammer founder Jigar Rathore.
• Born out of MahaKumbh 2025 pilot, GydeXP’s AI 'Travel Studio' transforms WhatsApp chats into curated cultural experiences, bookings, and new revenue streams for hotels.
• Fresh funds to fuel expansion across 100+ hotels in India & Southeast Asia, strengthen AI cultural intelligence, and deepen integrations with hotel systems and partners.

GydeXP, the AI-powered experiential travel platform launched by IIT Delhi alumni Aakarshan Saxena, has received an undisclosed amount in its pre-seed round of funding with SwiftSeed joining hands with Stay Circle and Jigar Rathore, the founder of cloud optimisation firm Xammer. Led by Rukam Sitara for Technology Startups, the funding boosts GydeXP's mission of redefining post-booking guest experiences in hospitality.

The concept of GydeXP was conceived at the MahaKumbh 2025, with the team manually orchestrating experiences for more than 1,000 visitors. Each of the guest questions on WhatsApp where to get the best biryani, how to organize safe transportation for a river snan equated to substantial revenue opportunities that ended up generating over Rs 40 lakh. The epiphany was that these conversations weren't customer service they were revenue generators. But multiplying such tailored, culturally aware answers with human personnel was not feasible for already stretched hotels. 

This void gave rise to the development of GydeXP's 'Travel Studio', an AI-powered platform engineered as culturally aware staff for hotels and vacation rentals. Contrary to run-of-the-mill chatbots, these AI agents discern context, culture, and intent. A straightforward guest message such as 'something special for our anniversary' can initiate an effortless orchestration of a romantic dinner, photography, and transportation, as well as generating commission revenue for hotels. Guests communicate using WhatsApp without having to download any app, while the AI manages check-ins, bookings, cab reservations, and customized local experiences.

For hotels, GydeXP solves long-standing problems lost upselling opportunities, staff shortages, language issues, and operational inefficiencies. For guests, it brings back the personalised, culturally sensitive service that made GydeXP's MahaKumbh pilot such a hit.

Also Read: Recur Club Partners with Enrission India Capital to Expand Startup Funding Opportunities

The funds recently raised will drive GydeXP's expansion in four domains: the expansion of AI cultural intelligence to more than 100 hotels in India and Southeast Asia, partnerships with local experience suppliers, smooth integration with hotel management systems and payment gateways, and presence in major tourist destinations.

The experiences and travel market for personalized products is anticipated to grow to $3.1 trillion worldwide by 2030 at 17.8 percent CAGR, with India's market size anticipated to reach $492 billion by 2028 alone. This rapidly growing industry places GydeXP in a leadership position in hospitality technology-driven change.

It received support from strategic investors such as SwiftSeed Ventures, Stay Circle, and Xammer, who invested capital, experience, and networks in order to drive the growth of GydeXP. Founder of SwiftSeed Amar Dixit lauded the firm's ambitious vision, while Stay Circle co-founders Rajesh Choudhary and Ankur Barthwal described it as a bet on the future of travel innovation.

GydeXP currently intends to construct the hospitality guest experience layer, wherein AI not just serves but also enables moments of memory and additional revenue lines for hotels globally.