One of the main global companies in the travel sector focuses on Italian innovation linked to group travel and offline communities. Airbnb led a $58 million Series C financing round in favor of WeRoad, the Italian platform founded in 2017 by Paolo De Nadai and which has become one of the fastest growing European travel tech companies in recent years. With the operation, Airbnb enters the company’s capital with a stake of more than 10%, alongside existing investors, including H14 from the Berlusconi family, lead investor in the previous Series B round, as well as several Italian entrepreneurs and founders in the technology sector. Thanks to the latest capital increase, the total funds raised by WeRoad since its inception have risen to approximately 100 million dollars.
How much WeRoad is worth today
The company has built its business model around group travel dedicated especially to Millennials and Generation Z. The idea is to allow people traveling alone to share experiences with travelers of the same age group and with similar interests. In 2025 WeRoad recorded revenues of 130 million euros, with a growth of 30% compared to the previous year. Also in 2026, the Financial Times included the company among the fastest-growing European companies.
Since the launch of the platform, over 300 thousand people have traveled with WeRoad, distributed across more than a thousand itineraries around the world. According to data released by the company, around 90% of participants leave alone and also use the trip as an opportunity to meet new people.
WeRoad’s success was built by combining social networks, technology and offline activities. Over the years, the company has developed a very large digital community, reaching around 3.5 million followers and over 4 thousand travel coordinators. The coordinators accompany the groups and manage the organizational part of the experiences. The model focuses heavily on the relational aspect and sharing between strangers who decide to travel together.
In recent years the phenomenon of community travel has grown especially among younger people, also as a response to the growing spread of exclusively digital relationships. WeRoad has built its identity precisely on this concept, transforming travel into a tool for creating real connections outside of social media.
The money raised will be used for the United States
The new capital raising will mainly be used to finance expansion outside Europe. After having consolidated its presence in Italy, Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, the company is now targeting the American market. The arrival in the United States will also pass through WeMeet, the platform launched in 2025 to organize offline events open to everyone, even those who have never participated in a WeRoad trip.
Through WeMeet, aperitifs, excursions, sporting events, yoga sessions and in-person social activities are organised. In one year the platform recorded around 2 thousand events, with over 50 thousand participants in 38 cities and 150 thousand downloads of the application. The goal is to use these events as the first point of contact with the US community.
Airbnb’s role in the operation
The investment also represents a strategic move for Airbnb, which in recent years has expanded its interest in experiences and services related to tourism beyond short-term rentals. Andrea D’Amico, CEO of WeRoad and former manager of Booking.com, will move to San Francisco to lead Airbnb’s hotel category. D’Amico will however remain involved in WeRoad as a board member. Founder Paolo De Nadai will remain at the operational helm of the company together with co-founders Fabio Bin, chief marketing officer, and Erika De Santi, chief of Experience.
