Who We Are
We are a team of former hotel operators, engineers, designers, marketers, and more who share a deep passion for the hospitality industry. We've been building technology for small businesses, restaurants, and hotels for over a decade now. Our team is globally distributed, but we are concentrated in New York, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Why We're Building This
Independent hotels are up against the giants.
The big flags have huge advantages in digital experience, demand, and loyalty. A little over a decade ago, 67% of hotels were independently owned, but now that figure is south of 40%. This is a trend we would like to reverse. We have a deep love and appreciation for the entrepreneurial creations of independent hoteliers, and we want to see nothing more than a thriving independent hotel industry.
In parallel to this, OTA channels have been gaining share of bookings post-COVID, and now 60% of global volume is running through these expensive channels. The reality is that -- all else being equal -- consumers will almost always opt for convenience, and that's OTAs.
The answer isn't to fight these realities. The answer is to invent a new one.
We're building the platform for independent hotels to survive and thrive: Safara 360. Our innovative technology and tools empower independents and delight the next generation of guests.
We've aligned our purpose -- and importantly our business model -- with the industry. Join us as we build and invent the future of hospitality that we want to live in, one day at a time.
INVESTORS WHO HAVE BACKED THE BEST
Founders with deep hospitality technology experience.
Doug
Schuessler
Safara Founder, CEO
former CRO @ Resy
Jason
Shames
Safara Head of Product, NYU Hotel Distribution Professor
Sequoia
Capital
Investors in Safara, Airbnb,
Doordash, Apple, Google
Defy
Partners
Investors in Safara,
Patreon, Giadzi