Japanese online travel log gets funding for a trip to mobile

Note: screenshots taken with Google Translate enabled.

Wanderlust, makers of Japanese online travel log Compathy announced over the weekend it raised hundreds of thousands of dollars from Incubate Fund and Recruit, according to The Bridge.

Compathy allows users to upload photos of their travel journeys, similar to adding an album to Facebook. Upon registration, users can connect their accounts to Facebook so any new logs will appear on both sites. Each trip gets its own page, which includes a timeline of photos, text, ratings, and a map.

The Bridge reports about 1,200 users have posted travel records, and 8,000 comments have been posted. The startup launched late last year. Mobile versions are still in the works.

For those who want to share their trips with friends and loved ones online, you should probably just stick to Facebook. Other than a few minor details, there’s nothing here that Facebook doesn’t already offer, not to mention Facebook looks better on the whole.

If you fancy yourself a travel critic, though, Compathy is an easy way to log and rate your travels to be shared with the public. If it catches on, it could also be a great way for prospective travelers to find crowdsourced reviews and input on potential destinations.

Compathy’s new funds will go into app development. The app will include some Instagram-style filters to add some pizazz to users’ photos.

To push user traction, Compathy has partnered with Airbnb Japan for a marketing campaign. Users who sign up prior to May can get a discount on Airbnb fees there.

(Source: The Bridge)