Sékr, a tech startup known for its travel app serving outdoor enthusiasts and campers, is introducing a new AI-enhanced tool for road trip planning. This tool, known as Copilot, is now available through the startup’s updated website and app, which is utilized by over 100,000 users.
Originally established in 2016, Sékr seeks to assist “van life” devotees in finding suitable campsites tailored to their specific needs. This can encompass requirements such as shower amenities, restroom facilities, overnight van parking, or free WiFi availability. The Sékr app also provides a platform for users to interact with like-minded travelers and plan shared outdoor adventures, including rock climbing or skiing.
Change came to the startup in 2023 after its acquisition by van manufacturer Peace Vans. Harley Sitner, the CEO of Peace Vans and Sékr, became a user of the app seven years prior to the acquisition. He noted the inactivity of the app last year and discovered the founders’ plans to discontinue it due to unfavorable global fundraising conditions in late 2022, despite a large user base. Sitner, a Microsoft alumnus, was asked to take over the startup in November 2023.
Eight months on, the rejuvenated startup is now working on refining its app to assist users in creating better road trip plans, all the while maintaining the original mission of the company. Utilizing the new AI tool, Sékr plans to use natural language processing along with its proprietary data obtained from user-centric reviews and ratings. The tool will also take into account publicly sourced data while generating road trip itineraries, using technologies like OpenAI’s GPT and Meta’s Llama.
“Sékr Copilot is designed to provide a better travel itinerary and reduce planning time for all road travelers. Even though AI cannot create a panoramic sunset, it can help you avoid the usual roadblocks that come with planning, thereby leading to unexpected experiences and authentic road trips curated in conjunction with Sékr’s dedicated user base,” stated Sitner.
The Copilot tool can be found under the “Trip Planning” tab on Sékr’s website and app. Users can interact with several prompts, indicating their destination and other preferences. Following this, the tool generates a customizable travel itinerary including camping, eating, and activity stops.
Copilot’s primary function is to aid travelers in exploring hidden gems they might not come across without the tool. It could suggest stops at lesser-known hotspots, such as a rustic Baja taco truck that users have vouched for over a highly-rated Denny’s near Los Angeles. Or perhaps users are guided to quiet, unmarked scenic sites on Bureau of Land Management lands.
Sékr is available on iOS and Android platforms. The basic features of the app are free, with premium ones like offline maps, event discount codes, and unlimited messaging and searching available for a monthly fee of $4.99.
Sékr has previously raised $2.25 million in a seed funding round led by Storyteller Overland. Other participants included Backstage Capital, Techstars, Ad Astra Ventures, Crescent Ridge Ventures, and GoFundMe’s co-founder, Andy Ballester.
