Manawa

Manawa operates as a specialized booking platform focused on the outdoor and adventure activities market. Launched in the summer of 2016, the company was born from the founders' frustrations with the difficulties of booking outdoor excursions online, such as language barriers and lengthy confirmation times. Previously known as Adrenaline Hunter, the company rebranded to Manawa in November 2020.

The firm's business model is structured as a marketplace where it partners with professional outdoor activity providers to digitize and promote their offerings to a global audience. Revenue is generated through a commission-based system, where Manawa takes a percentage of the sales made through its platform, with no setup or hidden fees for its partners. This model allows activity providers to gain visibility and attract a wider customer base, with Manawa aiming to contribute between 5% and 15% of its partners' customers. The company facilitates the entire booking process, from customer discovery to secure online payment.

Manawa's platform lists over 8,000 activities from more than 3,000 professional partners across numerous countries. The offerings are categorized into six distinct universes: Air, Snow, Land, Water, Urban, and "Crazy" for more unconventional experiences. Its customer base is international, with users from over 60 nationalities, primarily from France, Germany, the UK, the US, the Netherlands, and Spain. The typical user is often a beginner in the activity they book, with an average of 2.7 participants per booking, frequently couples or families. To enhance user experience and streamline operations for its partners, Manawa has integrated its system with ten different booking software providers, enabling features like real-time availability and instant booking confirmations.

The company has secured a total of $3.7 million over three funding rounds. This includes two seed rounds in May 2016 ($677K) and March 2017 ($669K), and a subsequent Series A round in December 2017 for $2.35 million, which was led by Bpifrance and Tengelmann Ventures. Keywords: outdoor activities, adventure travel, activity booking, online marketplace, tour operator, experience booking, travel tech, canyoning, scuba diving, paragliding, rafting, skydiving, boat tours, via ferrata, whale watching, sea kayaking, ski touring, ice climbing, mountaineering, rock climbing