Start-up company Triptrotting is designed to link travelers to the Earth.

Triptrotting, a start-up company designed to link travelers to the earth/landlord, has invested 1 million of dollars in a round of financing, including Google Ventures, Mark Suster (GRP and Launchpad LA) , Dave McClure (startups), Bill Gross (Idealab), Safa Rashtchy and Eric Chen.

The company's slogan is no longer to let users become "another mindless traveler." When you travel to a new place, it would be nice to have a local friend to accompany you. Triptrotting then tried to connect the traveler to the destination. If you are a landlord, you can let the other person live in your home, or just take him/her out for a tour or dine out together. Co-founder Shana Zheng says the most important part of the service is its matching algorithm (developed by Galen Buckwalter, a former chief scientist at eharmony, one of the largest dating sites in the United States), who can recommend a place you might be interested in.

Although the more cultural exchanges, rather than making money, "landlords" can also require travellers to pay for services such as airport transfers.

There is no doubt that security is a big consideration when meeting strangers. The Triptrotting FAQ makes it clear that users need to "decide for themselves", but the company also said it would find a way to verify the authenticity of membership. When the trip is over, the company and the traveler need to evaluate each other. Zheng also said that Tripspotting had been working with universities and professional institutions from the outset to avoid security issues.

The company did not disclose the number of its members, but Zheng said Triptrotting's services had covered more than 2000 cities in 150 countries.

Via TC