Trippiece

About Trippiece

Trippiece Inc. operated a social travel service that enabled users to plan, share, and book trips with like-minded individuals. The platform's core concept was centered on collaborative, user-generated travel, shifting the focus from the destination to the experience of traveling with companions who share similar interests.

Founded in March 2011 by CEO Ian Ishida, Trippiece emerged from his personal experience of organizing a group trip to Bangladesh using social media. This led to the idea of a platform where individuals could propose a trip idea, gather participants, and collectively build the itinerary, fostering a sense of community before the journey even began. The company's business model was based on this user-driven approach, where the platform facilitated the connection between users and partnered with travel agencies like H.I.S. and JTB to formalize and book the tours.

The company gained traction, particularly among users in their 20s and 30s, and secured several rounds of funding. Notable investments include a seed fund from Samurai Incubate Fund in May 2011, $50,000 from Movida Japan in January 2012, and a significant $2 million round led by Draper Nexus Venture Partners in August 2013. This funding was aimed at developing smartphone applications and expanding operations. In 2014, the company launched a travel and outing media platform called RETRIP to complement its social travel service.

In April 2018, founder Ian Ishida stepped down as CEO, and Tanaka Katsumoto took over the role to accelerate decision-making, while Ishida remained as a director and the largest shareholder. In September 2022, Kufu Company Inc. acquired a majority stake in Trippiece and its parent company, CultureStudioTokyo, making them consolidated subsidiaries. Following this, Trippiece was expected to merge with CultureStudioTokyo and be renamed RETRIP.

However, after a period of financial losses, the Trippiece social travel SNS service officially ceased operations on October 31, 2023. The travel planning service had already been suspended since March 2020.