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startup funding

Lola Travel Gets $15 Mil, A+ in Responsiveness, and a Wink

2017-01-12 by Phil Butler

The Lola Travel app

News Kayak founder Paul English has just raised $15 million in funding for his Lola Travel Co. is a shot in the arm for a travel tech industry stagnant since months. According to the news, Lola received a fresh infusion of capital from Charles River Ventures, General Catalyst and Accel.. Here’s a brief snapshot of a new company that says it’s going to provide on-demand, personal service to the world of travelers.

Tags: Accel Partners, AI, funding, General Catalyst Partner, Kayak, Lola Travel', Paul English, startup funding, startup scene, travel startups

buuteeq Gets Another $10 Mil to Make “Right Idea”

2012-10-03 by Phil Butler

buuteeq logo

Online marketing startup buuteeq, which we covered briefly some time back, has just announced having raised another $10 million in funding. The funding round, led by Madrona Venture Group and by Concur, brings buuteeq’s total capital raised to some $17 million thus far. Along with this news, the startup also announced the addition of Concur CEO, Steve Singh and Madrona Partner, and Tim Porter to the company’s board of directors.

Tags: booking solutions, funding round, hotel booking, hotel marketing, startup funding, VC

HouseTrip – A Startup Taking Aim At Travel Alternatives

2011-07-31 by Phil Butler

The HouseTrip landing

TechCrunch reported on a fascinating startup in April, a new take on vacation rentals called HouseTrip. The news back then was about the Swiss startup’s $2.7 million in funding from Index Ventures, but today it looks as if the company is spending the money wisely. Let’s take a look under the hood of what my old friend Steve O’Hear called; “another play in the holiday apartments space.”

Tags: Arnaud Bertrand, Budapest travel, Europe apartments, Europe hotels, Europe OTA's, Europe travel, HomeAway, Kempinski Hotel, Kempinski Hotel Corvinus, Kempinski Hotel Corvinus Budapest, Le Méridien Budapest, online travel, startup funding, startups, Stay.com, travel startup, travel tips, travel tools, vacation homes

ChaCha Dances Another Round Around Search

2011-01-25 by Aleksandr Shatskih

Doing the ChaCha

Indianapolis based, real time search service ChaCha has just closed another round of funding. According to the press, the human powered search engine startup gained another $3 million from investors to further expand their mobile product. ChaCha has so far raised a total of $75 in funding since its launch in 2005.

Tags: ChaCha, human powered search, mobile, mobile search, mobile travel, Online business, Qualcomm Ventures, Scott A. Jones, search engine, startup funding, startups, texting travel, travel technology, travel tools, VC

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Why We Embrace AI

At Argophilia, we believe in using every tool at our disposal to bring you the stories that matter. You may notice a certain precision in our data analysis, a specific flair in our visuals, or a rapid turnaround on complex topics. That is no accident—it is the result of our rampant use of artificial intelligence.

We use Gemini to help synthesize data, structure our reporting, and ensure our news remains as sharp as the reality we cover. When it comes to our imagery, we rely on the creative power of Midjourney and NightCafe, unless otherwise noted in our editorial credits.

We are not apologetic for this. In a fast-moving world, these tools allow us to focus on what really counts: investigating the issues, giving a voice to the marginalized, and maintaining the journalistic integrity you expect from us. We see AI not as a replacement for human judgment, but as an engine that amplifies our ability to inform, analyze, and tell the truth about our island and beyond.

We are writers and journalists first—but we are proud to be tech-enabled ones, too.

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Stories of Interest

Crete Car Rental Market

Crete Accounts for 18.1% of Greece’s Car Rental Market

2026-10-15 By Kostas Raptis

Crete has Greece’s second-largest short-term car rental market, as tourists increasingly rent vehicles to explore beaches, villages, and mountain routes.

strong tourism season

Strong October Finishes Robust Tourism Season in Crete

2026-10-15 By Arthur Butler

Cretan hotels report 80-90% occupancy in October as the tourism season extends through mid-November, supported by sustained flight connections and winter city demand.

Malevizi road collapse

School Bus Tilts After Road Gives Way in Crete’s Agia Marina

2026-10-15 By Iorgos Pappas

Students were safely evacuated after a school bus tilted on a washed-out road in Malevizi, prompting essential driving safety advice for visitors on Crete’s roads.

Rethymno Flood Warning Systems meeting

Rethymno Boosts Flood Preparedness with New Weather Stations, River Monitors, and Dam Management Plans

2026-10-15 By Iorgos Pappas

Rethymno is expanding weather and river monitoring, clearing waterways and strengthening emergency planning ahead of extreme winter weather.

Historic Former War Museum Collapses

Part of Former Chania War Museum Collapses, No People Found Under Rubble

2026-10-15 By Iorgos Pappas

Emergency teams and EMAK units respond to a major building collapse at Chania’s former War Museum, confirming no individuals were trapped in the rubble.

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