Imagine planning a vacation and searching for your preferred hotel on an online travel platform, only to find multiple listings with nearly identical names. This confusion often leads to lost bookings and frustrated customers. Pune-based startup Vervotech has tackled this exact problem by developing an AI-driven hotel mapping solution that eliminates duplicate listings and errors, helping travel companies increase booking conversions and streamline operations.
Founded in 2018 by Sanjay Ghare and Dharmendra Ladi, Vervotech has become a leading player in hotel accommodation data services, offering solutions like hotel mapping, room mapping, and curated hotel content to over 1,000 online travel companies worldwide.
The Founders’ Journey: From Engineering Roots to Travel Tech Innovators
Humble Beginnings and Shared Vision
Sanjay Ghare, from a farmer family in Maharashtra, completed his engineering at D.Y. Patil College of Engineering, Pune, and further honed his skills with advanced computing courses. Dharmendra Ladi, an engineer from Savitribai Phule Pune University and an Indian School of Business alumnus, worked alongside Sanjay at Tavisca, a travel tech firm acquired by JP Morgan.
Their decade-long collaboration revealed a glaring issue in the travel industry: manual hotel content mapping was error-prone and inefficient. Determined to solve this, they left their corporate jobs to launch Vervotech with a small team and a bootstrapped capital of ₹10 lakh.
Building a Tech-Driven Solution
The founders focused on creating AI algorithms that could automatically map and standardize hotel data from multiple suppliers, eliminating human errors and duplication. They set a high benchmark by analyzing data from India’s top travel companies to build a robust and scalable platform.
Within months of launching, Vervotech secured its first client, Akbar Travels, validating their solution and kickstarting their growth journey.
Overcoming Challenges and Thriving Amidst a Pandemic
Despite the travel industry’s severe slump during the COVID-19 pandemic, Vervotech’s business remained resilient. Their clients continued to rely on their services, anticipating a strong travel rebound—which soon materialized with the surge in “revenge travel.”
Today, Vervotech boasts a 99.999% accuracy rate in hotel mapping and serves major global travel aggregators, helping them reduce confusion, increase bookings, and save operational costs.
What Makes Vervotech Stand Out?
AI-Native Platform: Automates hotel and room mapping across 400+ global suppliers in real-time.
Error Elimination: Detects duplicates and corrects mistakes instantly, ensuring data accuracy.
User-Friendly Interface: Easy API integration and configuration for clients.
Global Reach: Powering over 1,000 travel portals worldwide.
Minimal Competition: One of the few providers offering such specialized services in India.
Acquisition by a Global Software Conglomerate
In a significant milestone, Vervotech was acquired by Juniper Group, a division of the TSX-listed Constellation Software, in a multi-million dollar deal. While the startup will maintain its independent brand and operations, this partnership will enhance its global reach and service offerings.
Vision for the Future: Expanding Horizons and Market Leadership
With a current team of around 90 professionals spanning engineering, marketing, sales, and communication, Vervotech aims to onboard large travel companies from the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. The founders also plan strategic acquisitions to consolidate their position as the world’s preferred hotel content standardization provider.
Sanjay Ghare envisions Vervotech becoming a household name in travel tech, much like how Apple’s iPhone is synonymous with smartphones.
Conclusion: Pune’s Vervotech is a Beacon of Indian Travel Tech Innovation
Vervotech’s story exemplifies how Indian startups can solve global industry challenges through innovation, perseverance, and cutting-edge technology. By addressing a critical pain point in travel bookings with AI, the Pune-based company is not only driving business success but also elevating India’s stature in the global SaaS ecosystem.