UnTours Foundation

Gather for a Special TTC Education Session: Learn about the Tourism Reset Fund Date and Time: Nov. 19th 8am PST ? Join us to hear from Sarah Payne and Daniel Quintana at the?UnTours Foundation?about their work investing in travel companies through the?Reset Tourism Fund. The Reset Tourism Fund exists to provide affordable and flexible investment capital to travel businesses transforming the industry for good. To date, the fund has provided nearly $1 million in capital to companies building a more inclusive and sustainable future for tourism. This financing is available to aligned tourism entrepreneurs driving meaningful solutions, and they look forward to sharing this opportunity with transformational tourism businesses like yours! Join us to hear about success stories, exciting partnerships, and ways to grow your business through mission-aligned funding. Register Here:?https://lnkd.in/gcPYcSfT Meeting ID: 841 2682 0632 Passcode: 390718

Founded by Kelly Twichel in 2018,?Access Trax?started as a graduate school project designed to help adaptive surfers navigate the beach with ease. Inspired by her mother’s struggle with mobility challenges, Kelly decided to design and develop portable, foldable mats to bridge the gap between land and sea, ensuring greater access and independence for those with mobility issues. What began as a small-scale solution quickly proved its potential to address a much larger need. Fast forward six years, and Access Trax is now leading the way in making the outdoors more accessible. Their innovative mats create stable pathways over uneven terrains like sand, grass, and gravel, empowering people with mobility devices to fully enjoy outdoor spaces across more than 18 countries. ?? Access Trax supports a diverse array of outdoor activities and events and has developed meaningful partnerships with organizations like the Challenged Athletes Foundation and SoulFly Experiences to enhance accessibility in parks and beyond.? Our team at the UnTours Foundation is proud to be an investor in Access Trax, supporting Kelly Twichel's mission to make outdoor adventures accessible to everyone. Do you know someone who would benefit from or be inspired by Access Trax? Share this post or connect with Kelly Twichel to learn more about how you can get involved and support their work.

We're excited to see UnTours Foundation Co-CEO, Jonathan Coleman, being featured in this PhocusWire article discussing the massive growth potential of Africa's online travel ecosystem and the critical funding gaps holding it back. As Jonathan shared, "Capital is not flowing enough into tech-based startups or traditional operators that need funding to scale." With the Reset Tourism Fund, our mission is clear: to bridge these funding gaps around the world by supporting innovative tourism businesses like our investee, Ben Peterson and Purple Elephant Ventures, that are leading the way on community empowerment, local ownership, conservation, and sustainability in the tourism sector.

We’re excited to announce that our Co-CEO, Elizabeth Killough, has launched the UnTours Foundation's Paradigm Shifters newsletter on LinkedIn! This monthly series celebrates bold leaders in mission-aligned investing who understand that money can grow while driving meaningful impact in the world. Each edition dives into the journeys of visionary foundation leaders like Glen Galaich of the Stupski Foundation, Emma Hertz of the HealthSpark Foundation, Rochelle Witharana, CPA of The California Wellness Foundation, and Kristina Wahl of The Barra Foundation. Elizabeth’s mission is to inspire others to rethink how they invest for impact — whether through personal savings, retirement accounts, or institutional endowments — unlocking the power of money to create positive change. Subscribe to follow along as Elizabeth introduces these inspiring foundation leaders while sharing their stories and insights on how they are using investments to pave the way for a better world.

We’re excited to share more about our partnership with the TUI Care Foundation for Entrepreneurship October! Through the TUI Futureshapers Global initiative, we’ve had the opportunity to fund several high-impact tourism businesses around the world that are driving meaningful change across TUI's destinations worldwide. From eco-friendly biking tours with Siem Reaper Travel in Cambodia to marine conservation efforts with Global Coralition in the Dominican Republic, along with community-based cultural experiences by Red Rocks Rwanda and regenerative tourism initiatives with Astungkara Way in Bali, these inspiring entrepreneurs and businesses are proving that tourism can be a powerful force for positive change, benefiting both people and the planet. We’re incredibly grateful to the TUI Care Foundation team for believing in the mission of the UnTours Foundation and the Reset Tourism Fund to invest in a better, more sustainable future for the tourism industry. ?? Learn more about TUI Futureshapers Global here: https://lnkd.in/ew53GiVY

We’re excited to introduce one of our latest UnTours Foundation investees,?Integrate Tech, Inc.! ?? Integrate Tech, Inc. was founded with a mission to transform education by making personalized learning accessible to every student, regardless of their background or challenges. Co-founders Kevin Celisca and Maxwell Witt experienced firsthand how dedicated educators can change lives as both overcame significant educational barriers—Kevin as a first-generation Haitian American, and Maxwell while navigating a learning disability—thanks to the teachers and tutors who saw their potential and provided tailored support. Now, Integrate Tech, Inc. empowers educators with a user-friendly platform that streamlines lesson planning, giving teachers access to high-quality resources in just a few clicks. This allows educators to focus on what matters most: personalizing education to meet the diverse needs of their students.

Why Oprah Winfrey, The New York Times, B Lab, and the UnTours Foundation all love Yellow Leaf Hammocks: Yellow Leaf Hammocks is more than just a hammock company. It’s a social enterprise that empowers the Mlabri people of Thailand, also known as the “People of the Yellow Leaves.” This marginalized indigenous community has historically faced poverty. But by weaving hammocks for Yellow Leaf, they’ve secured a significant income boost, escaping poverty and building a brighter future. This newfound stability is transformative. Weaver’s children now have access to education thanks to newly built schools.The economic security Yellow Leaf provides is also believed to have played a role in the Mlabri’s successful fight for Thai citizenship and civil rights in 2001. But Yellow Leaf’s impact goes beyond social good. Their hammocks, handcrafted using traditional techniques, are renowned for their beautiful craftsmanship and durability. This dual commitment to quality and social impact is what caught the eye of tastemakers like Oprah and The New York Times, and our team at the UnTours Foundation who invested in Yellow Leaf Hammocks. If you are a community-changing business like Yellow Leaf Hammocks seeking investment, visit the link in our profile to find out more about our funds and how we help businesses just like yours.

We're thrilled to announce that our?Reset Tourism Fund?has surpassed its Phase One fundraising goal, raising $1.5 million from a coalition of key funding partners in the travel industry to support changemaking small tourism businesses around the world. Together, these funding partners enable the Reset Tourism Fund to provide access to the kind of flexible and affordable capital that innovative entrepreneurs need to grow and expand their positive impact in communities across the world. This milestone demonstrates a collective commitment among travel industry leaders to build a more inclusive and sustainable future for tourism. Surpassing this goal would not have been possible without the support of the Reset Tourism Fund’s visionary community of industry-leading funding partners, whose contributions have had a major impact on small tourism businesses around the world: ? Expedia Group ? TUI Care Foundation ? EXO Travel ? Skyscanner ? MaCher USA, UK and Switzerland Partners like Expedia Group have supported the Reset Tourism Fund as part of their broader leadership in the travel industry around critical topics. Aditi Mohapatra (Vice President, Global Social Impact & Sustainability at Expedia Group) says, “Creating inclusive travel experiences is critical for the travel industry and requires collective action. Expedia Group is committed to supporting an improved and equitable experience, and our partnership with the Reset Tourism Fund enables us to support numerous local travel providers innovating to offer more inclusive opportunities.” Investments from the Reset Tourism Fund have ranged from supporting the growth of sustainability-focused study abroad programs for students and young professionals (The GREEN Program), investing in the first Black-owned hostel in the United States (Wanderstay Hospitality Group), helping finance the rebuild of an ecolodge in Zambia that burned down in a fire (Taita Falcon Lodge), funding a community-based ecotourism enterprise in Rwanda (Red Rocks Rwanda), and a regenerative tourism trekking initiative in Bali (Astungkara Way).

At the UnTours Foundation, we’re proud to support organizations like?First Step Staffing, where every day is dedicated to transforming lives through employment opportunities. First Step Staffing isn’t just a staffing agency—it’s a lifeline for individuals facing barriers to traditional employment. By providing meaningful job placements, they empower people to rebuild their lives and regain their independence. Whether it’s helping someone transition out of homelessness or assisting veterans reintegrate into civilian life, First Step Staffing’s impact is profound and far-reaching. Visit First Step Staffing’s website if you’re looking to make a difference by hiring new employees or to learn more about how you can support their mission through donations to the UnTours Foundation.

We’re excited to share Expedia Group's Study on Inclusion in Travel, which highlights the challenges faced by underserved travelers across the United States and identifies gaps that need attention from the travel industry. With the support of Expedia Group's 'Made To Travel Fund', the Reset Tourism Fund has been investing in innovative tourism businesses that are meeting these challenges and filling these gaps. ? Access Trax: Access Trax designs portable, foldable pathways that enable individuals with mobility challenges to access outdoor environments. ? Advenchair: Advenchair is a rugged, self-propelled wheelchair designed for challenging terrains, enabling users to independently explore outdoor adventures that are typically inaccessible, from mountain trails to destinations like Machu Picchu and the Grand Canyon. ? Adventure Tours UK: A Certified B Corporation tour operator offering sustainable adventures and nature retreats in the UK, focusing on getting underrepresented travelers outdoors. ? Black Travel Summit: A platform dedicated to supporting the Black travel community through in-person events and conferences, bridging the gaps between Black travel businesses, entrepreneurs, influencers, and industry players across the tourism supply chain. ? Greether: A travel platform connecting solo women travelers to verified local female “Greeters” for safe and personalized travel experiences. ? Green Book Global: The first Black travel review site, empowering Black travelers to explore the world safely. They earn commissions from bookings and share them with users. ? iAccess Life: A platform that empowers travelers with mobility impairments to rate and review the accessibility of establishments, helping others make informed decisions on accessible travel options. ? Pink Coconuts: A travel platform that connects LGBTQ travelers to vetted LGBTQ-friendly travel companies, focusing on tropical and emerging destinations. ? Stay Pittsburgh: An independently-owned hotel in downtown Pittsburgh that aims to provide housing for individuals experiencing housing instability. ? The GREEN Program: Offers immersive, short-term sustainability study abroad programs that provides students with hands-on experiences in cutting-edge environmental practices and sustainable innovations. ? Travengers AU: Provides travel opportunities for neurodivergent young people, offering them unique experiences that help build social networks and develop life skills. ? Vamos Expeditions, a certified B-Corp: A Certified B Corporation offering personalized travel experiences in South America including a focus on travelers with mobility challenges. ? Wanderstay Hospitality Group: A multi-concept hospitality brand founded by Deidre Mathis, the first and only Black woman to own a hostel in the United States, with a nonprofit arm dedicated to helping underserved students experience travel abroad.