Madrid’s Velada secured €1 million, aims to shake up the food and travel industries

The Madrid-based Velada has just secured €1 million for its cutting-edge restaurant recommendation and booking app, shaking up both the food and travel industries.

The funding attracted foreign investment, including private investments from Francesco De Rubertis, partner and co-founder of Medicxi Ventures and former partner of Index Ventures, and Jess Mantas, Global Managing Partner at IBM.

The startup, which is curated by food experts and local tastemakers, aims to provide international tourists and local adventurers with the greatest authentic local experiences.

Traveling to new places gives you the chance to explore other cultures, discover new traditions, sample local cuisine, and have a unique experience.

Finding the greatest croissant in Paris, the most decadent churros in Barcelona and even that local delicacy that might initially look a little unsettling are all pleasures of travel for many people.

Finding the greatest, authentic experiences isn’t always simple, especially in touristy locations. One of the most popular tourist destinations in the world is Spain, which also has one of the highest rates of domestic travel. Traveling foodies will find something to enjoy in this nation, and each city has something unique to offer. For example, the local dishes in Madrid and Valencia are considerably different from one another.

However, because there isn’t an app or other resource that provides a dedicated local guide, tourists frequently get themselves in tourist traps when it comes to their culinary experience.

Madrid-born Velada is attempting to fulfill that. Recently, the firm received €1 million for growth.

Co-Founder and CEO Alexandra Papadopoulos: “Velada was developed for this reason. The real and top-notch food that Spanish towns have to offer is not represented in any of the regular lists of must-visit eateries for travelers.

We make sure our critics are authorities in their regions because dining in Barcelona is not the same as dining in Valencia or Mallorca and we want visitors to discover the regional specialties and culture.

The idea for Velada was developed in Madrid by Alexandra Papadopoulos and her partner David Martin Suarez, who were tired of being asked for restaurant recommendations by friends all over the world. People were interested in visiting Spain and experiencing the country’s cuisine while there.

“Velada is the only restaurant guide to meticulously curate and categorize each restaurant featured in the app to offer the most authentically local experience,” Alexandra continued. “Velada is the first smart restaurant guide because of our patented algorithm, which uses information about user preferences and app usage to personalize recommendations for each user.”

The startup, which was established in 2021, was chosen by Culinary Action, the startup accelerator of the Basque Culinary Center 2021, as one of the top ten entrepreneurs.

Famous Spanish chefs and food experts have already taken notice of the initiative, including Borja Beneyto, author of Cuaderno Matoses, advisor to Velada, and former judge on Netflix’s international chef competition series The Final Table. Since its inception, it has received 100,000 downloads and currently has over 1000 restaurant recommendations.

“Velada is the only gastronomy network of its kind to connect both local and foreign foodie travelers with the best dining experiences throughout Spain, from simply hidden tapas cafes to Michelin restaurants,” says Borja Beneyto. No other restaurant guide or app in the area provides the level of pertinent information for each restaurant that enables visitors to learn about foods and locations that are often only known to locals.

With this additional funding, Velada now has plans to grow into more cities and start working with businesses and restaurants to bring its users higher-quality content. Additionally, the app’s expanding local foodie community will be given the option to subscribe to premium services like a concierge service and invitations to exclusive events.

Image Credit: Velada