Lisbon-based travel tech startup Tripnly is turning to “soft clubbing” – a wellness-oriented alternative to traditional nightlife – as the core of its go-to-market strategy in Portugal.
The company – which offers an all-in-one travel platform and relocated its headquarters from Istanbul to Lisbon in 2024 – is using these early-morning, sober-friendly events to build a loyal user base and local partnerships, with a focus on Gen Z and millennials.
Following two successful Wake Up Club events with Espressolab, a new-generation, youth-oriented coffeehouse chain, Tripnly is preparing to host a third edition on August 2 in downtown Lisbon.
By tapping into shifting youth behaviors – prioritizing mental health, connection, and balance – Tripnly is positioning itself at the intersection of travel, culture, and lifestyle and describes these parties as the “backbone” of its go-to-market strategy.
“We are not doing marketing. We are doing branding,” Alper Aydın, co-founder and CEO of Tripnly, said in a statement, adding that the strategy has so far produced “countless tangible and intangible positive outcomes.”
Tripnly’s first two Wake Up Club events – held in January and March 2025 at Espressolab Baixa – attracted more than 350 attendees in total and generated over 150,000 social media impressions.
According to Tripnly, these events led to increased app downloads, longer session durations, and a rise in B2B inquiries, along with five new partnership proposals and three investor introductions during the first event alone.
The strategy also reflects Tripnly’s belief that its soft clubbing format – characterized by sober, community-focused events held in relaxed morning settings – is a scalable concept that can be replicated in cities around the world.
Tripnly was founded in Istanbul in May 2022, offering digital services for travelers before, during, and after their trips. After being selected for the Startup Lisboa Incubation Program, Tripnly opened a second office in Lisbon before relocating its headquarters there under the Startup Visa Portugal initiative.
Today, Tripnly operates globally, serving thousands of users daily and maintaining a network of over 80 B2B partners. The startup is backed by international investors and continues to expand its services across new markets.
Its web and mobile-based solutions are powered by artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain technologies. These tools are built to streamline the travel process, offering features such as personalized itinerary planning, intelligent recommendations, one-click bookings, offline functionality, and integrated content sharing.
The company integrates sustainability into its operations. Its AI-based Carbon Footprint Calculator enables individuals and businesses to measure, reduce, and offset emissions associated with their travel.
The system tracks emissions from direct sources controlled by the traveler or business, indirect emissions from purchased energy, and other indirect emissions across the entire travel supply chain.
It complies with the European Green Deal – an EU initiative aiming to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels), and plant 3 billion additional trees by 2030. Tripnly’s objective is to make every trip carbon-neutral by 2030.
Featured image: Courtesy of Tripnly
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