Brief: An Airbnb for the LGBT community just got funded

Photo credit: Misterb&b.

The news:

• French startup Misterb&b has just raised US$8.5 million in funding from Project A and Ventech. Its mission is to help travellers from the LGBT community find affordable accommodation where they can be themselves and feel welcome.
• It started out as a portal for gay people but now wants to include the broader LGBT community.
• The problem it is solving is that it’s hard to discover on Airbnb and other similar portals if the host is uncomfortable with homosexuality.

Why it matters:

• LGBT people can feel ostracized in social settings, and especially so while traveling to unfamiliar places. An Airbnb for the LGBT community can prevent bad experiences, and also enable easier connections with local LGBT communities in different lands.
• Misterb&b shows that despite the dominance of global platforms like Airbnb, there are underdeveloped niches within them for startups to explore.

Source: TechCrunch.