Freebird Club is an innovative social travel and homestay club for older adults.
Travel platform Freebird Club has raised €500,000 in pre-seed investment from Enterprise Ireland and Portuguese impact investor Ageas Foundation.
The funding will accelerate Freebird Club’s mission to promote new social connections and enhance well-being among older adults through unique travel and social experiences.
“While travel is the medium, our main impact goal here is to provide an antidote to loneliness among the older demographic, whose world often shrinks as they age. Freebird Club shows that there is another way”
The Freebird Club platform is designed to empower older adults to travel, connect, meet and stay with each other, as part of a trusted over 50s community.
Keep broadening your horizons
Freebird Club founder and CEO Peter Mangan
Freebird Club’s unique model combines social networking with travel, aiming to address the needs and aspirations of older adults who seek to explore new destinations, meet like-minded people, and enjoy enriching authentic experiences, by sharing them with peers.
“While travel is the medium, our main impact goal here is to provide an antidote to loneliness among the older demographic, whose world often shrinks as they age. Freebird Club shows that there is another way,” said Peter Mangan, founder and CEO of Freebird Club.
“We know travel is a leading aspiration among older adults, especially in retirement, but many perceive a social barrier to travelling, i.e. not having anyone to go with and lacking the confidence to travel alone. What we are trying to do is leverage the power of peers to help older adults mobilise and socialise in ways that can benefit health and wellbeing, while fulfilling their aspirations, and having fun doing it.”
By offering a sociable homestay model, as well as innovative new ways to connect and meet other members, Freebird Club provides a social, safe and affordable alternative to traditional travel options for older adults.
“Freebird is an innovative, ambitious company that is addressing an often unnoticed social need in modern society,” said Donnchadh Cullinan, ICT HPSU manager, Enterprise Ireland.
“Their solutions enable older adults to continue to enjoy new experiences of travel and adventure through a trusted and reliable platform. The company has set out a clear growth path and Enterprise Ireland is proud to be behind them on their start-up journey. We would like to congratulate Peter and the Freebird team on their achievements to date and we look forward to playing a role in their future growth.”
With reportedly over 40% of older adults regularly feeling lonely, Freebird Club offers a solution that goes beyond travel. By creating opportunities for social interaction and connection, the club aims to combat loneliness and isolation, promoting well-being and a sense of community and belonging in later life.
“Isolation and extreme loneliness are widely prevalent among older adults and there is strong evidence linking these issues to negative health outcomes. Freebird Club’s platform addresses these challenges by connecting people centered around their travel aspirations,” said João Machado, President of the Ageas Foundation.
“Portugal is a crucial market for a solution like Freebird, given the growing population of older adults and the country’s appeal as a major tourism destination. We are excited to support Freebird’s potential to foster connections among older adults within Portugal and across borders.”
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