New Delhi, May 29, 2025: GydeXP (Deepnav Experiences Pvt. Ltd.), an AI-powered experiential travel platform, has secured an undisclosed amount in a pre-seed funding round from Rukam Sitara, a leading Indian early-stage venture capital fund committed to fostering the growth and development of early-stage technology startups. The round values the company at ₹15 crore and marks a significant milestone in GydeXP’s mission to build the infrastructure layer for India’s emerging experience-driven travel economy.
Built with a vision of connecting travellers with local guides to ensure authentic personalised and safe adventures, GydeXP is tackling three deep-rooted travel challenges fragmented planning, superficial connections, and post-trip memory loss. The platform integrates cutting-edge AI (branded as Travel Studio), creator-led trip curation,
and seamless memory capture into a single app experience.
The funds will be strategically deployed to enhance GydeXP’s AI-driven product capabilities, onboard top travel creators to grow its community ecosystem, and scale travel operations in select high-potential destinations like Goa, Dalhousie, and Bali, all with a strong focus on quality and experience.
“Travel without people is just sight-seeing”, said Aakarshan Saxena, Co-Founder & CEO. “Our initial communities of founders, creators, and travellers don’t want another booking platform; they want meaningful connections and timeless memories.”
Archana Jahagirdar, Founder and Managing Partner at Rukam Capital, says, “India’s travel economy is growing exponentially but travellers are always on the lookout for authentic experiences. When we met Gyde XP for the first time at Start up Table with AJ, we realised that this platform is helping bridge an important gap in the industry that is backed by a strategic and ionate founder vision. We are certain that with the funds raised, Gyde XP will be able to deliver truly meaningful travel experiences.”
GydeXP recently made waves with ₹40 lakh in net sales and over 1,000 travellers during the MahaKumbh 2025. The company empowers travel creators to monetize their expertise through curated getaways while offering travellers AI-planned, community-driven experiences.
GydeXP’s long-term vision aligns closely with Rukam Sitara’s philosophy of backing purposeful, high-impact startups. The investment follows GydeXP’s appearance on Startup Table with AJ, hosted by Rukam Capital’s Managing Director Archana Jahagirdar, spotlighting IIT Delhi founders who are redefining traditional sectors. Startup Table with AJ is a podcast series that spotlights very-early-stage start-ups empowering them to interact, connect and understand industry complexities and opportunities of the segment with peers.
As per a McKinsey and Skift report, the global personalised travel and experiences segment expected to touch $447.3 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 17.8%. In India alone, the total travel and tourism market is estimated to grow to $492 billion by 2028. Industry insight also revealed that travellers are primarily seeking meaningful connections with like-minded individuals during their journeys, with “meeting new people” ranking as the top motivation, ahead of freedom and flexibility. With $1.4B+ opportunity in the travel creator economy, GydeXP is uniquely positioned at the intersection of AI, community, and travel.