Featured Startup Pitch: VidPal lets you see destinations through the eyes of a local

COMPANY: VidPal

ELEVATOR PITCH

VidPal is an online video auctioning platform that allows travelers to see destinations through the eyes of a local, partnering with video freelancers to share a new view of the world.

PRODUCT/SERVICE DESCRIPTION

VidPal is a travel and tourism video marketplace that provides paid opportunities to the freelance video community, and gives the 56.4 million visitors to New York City an on-demand, video request service. It is a Travel Startups Incubator company. Travel Startups Incubator funds early Seed-stage travel technology ideas by providing $25,000 investments and mentorship to talented travel entrepreneurs.

VidPal gives travelers the opportunity to request custom New York City-related videos before they visit the city. VidPal users choose a location on a map and describe their request, setting a deadline for it to be completed and a price they are willing to pay. Requests are only limited by what can be filmed. Freelance videographers can then bid on the projects that appeal to them, and earn ‘bounty’—the amount offered by the user requesting the video.

The service is free to sign up to and has a number of applications for travelers. For example, VidPal allows users to see what their hotel really looks like, or they may ask for a quick video guide to ten top off-the-beaten-track sights to visit during their trip.

The startup is actively recruiting freelancers in New York to fulfill video requests. The company plans to expand the on-demand video service to the global travel marketplace in the future.

DIFFERENTIATORS VS. THE COMPETITION

Competitors of VidPal typically only allow their users to share or list videos, thereby providing a limited social platform for sharing. VidPal instead focuses on making it easy for anyone to query anonymous videographers to gain video footage of the locations in question, thereby providing a solution that allows people to ‘know before they go’ to a new destination.

FOUNDER’S STORY

VidPal is the brainchild of John Ortega, an entrepreneur and devout traveler. Ortega found that he was often missing specific, useful information about his destination when he took trips. The video request marketplace presents an elegant solution for travelers in a similar position.

BUSINESS MODEL

Online video platform that offers paid video marketplace where users auction over video fulfillment requests.