Greether

Greether is a startup founded by entrepreneur Vanessa Karel and based in San Francisco that offers a tech-based platform to help solo women travelers explore the world more safely and confidently. Greether connects travelers to verified local female “Greeters” in destinations worldwide who help travelers get around safely, have unique experiences, and learn firsthand from their cultures. Greeters are a mix of a friend, tour guide, and concierge whom women can book to get personalized travel experiences, local insights, and safety tips–a local bestie in a foreign place!

Greether has participated in numerous accelerator programs, including Expedia’s Open World Accelerator, and began their first raise after receiving national attention and media coverage. UnTours Foundation made an equity investment in their pre-seed round.

The Greether Origin Story:
Vanessa Karel launched Greether due to her experiences traveling alone as a woman and finding herself in situations where safety was a concern. In 2020, she finally realized what had been lacking throughout her solo journeys after being stranded in Morocco during the Covid-19 pandemic. She started Greether to offer a solution that enables women to travel alone and connect with locals who can offer safety tips and opportunities to connect and explore together.

How Greether Is Making an Impact:
The female travel market is a huge and growing market–women account for 60% of all international travel–but many women still face significant safety concerns when traveling alone. According to a survey by Booking.com, 50% of women have experienced some form of harassment while traveling alone. These safety concerns often limit women’s travel experiences or prevent women from traveling altogether.

Greether not only reduces safety risks for women travelers while also empowering women to support one another as they navigate the world by providing local Greeters with a way to earn income and drive tourism to different places around the world.

Greether aims to:
– Create jobs for women in sustainable and socially responsible tourism.
– Increase women’s empowerment through participation in social and economic arenas.
– Prevent safety risks for women and gender-based violence.

At the time of investment, Greeter had already cultivated an impressive community, with over 4,000 followers on Instagram.

How You Can Connect with Greether:
Learn more about Greether on their website! You can also follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to receive updates and share their stories on your own platforms. If you’re a woman looking to travel solo, explore all of the destinations where Greether has local Greeters to help you confidently explore new places!