Atmosfy

Inside the Atmosfy Partner Network (APN): Meet Michael Pajak When we started building the Atmosfy Partner Network (APN), the goal was simple: connect the world’s top travel and hospitality brands with Atmosfy global creator community. To build a platform that bridges technology and real-world experiences, you need people who understand how to grow and manage travel and hospitality networks at scale. That’s where Michael Pajak comes in. Michael spent more than 20 years helping build and manage some of the world’s leading hospitality portfolios, with senior investment and strategy roles at Hilton Worldwide, Park Hotels & Resorts, and BRE Hotels & Resorts. Today he leads Tight Lines Capital, an investment firm focused on value-add lodging opportunities. He brings a portfolio-level view of how collaboration, data, and storytelling can drive both performance and guest experience. It’s the same mindset guiding the Atmosfy Partner Network. As we expand partnerships across travel, dining, and entertainment, Michael is helping shape the framework that connects brands, creators, and travelers through the Atmosfy Partner Network. We caught up for a quick chat on how travel, technology, and guest experience intersect, and where Atmosfy fits in. Here’s what he shared How does your background in hotel real estate translate into advising a tech-driven travel app like Atmosfy? 💬  "I’ve seen firsthand how critical a differentiated guest experience can be in a crowded marketplace, and it bears out on a hotel’s P&L.  The major lodging brands don’t focus on individual assets so it’s up to each property to develop and execute a social media presence – something that is being done with mixed results.  Working with Atmosfy I aim to improve the tools available to hotels and seamlessly connect the traveler experience with the hotel team to drive guest experience and total revenue per guest." How is technology reshaping the guest journey? 💬  "The guest experience doesn’t start at check-in, it begins the moment a prospective traveler opens their phone. Hotels need dynamic, engaging digital content, and Atmosfy simplifies that by turning user-generated video into a ready-made social presence. Authentic content is exactly what guests, and owners, are hungry for right now." The proliferation of hotel brands has raised the question: differentiation or commoditization? Where does technology like Atmosfy come in? 💬  "With so many new hotel brands launching recently, how can consumers keep up?  Technology bridges that gap and Atmosfy empowers travelers to see what makes each property distinct in real life, helping them choose with confidence.  That enables the industry to put its best foot forward in a way that matches how modern guests make decisions."

Meet Tibbs 2.0, your AI Video Companion. What happens when live video meets AI intelligence? Fusing ChatGPT intelligence with live video from Atmosfy, Tibbs lets you chat, watch, and book the world around you, powered by OpenAI technology and real experiences from real people. Imagine asking for rooftop bars, date-night spots, or hidden gems, and instantly seeing what it feels like to walk in the door. This is what happens when AI meets live video. We believe the next era of AI isn’t just conversational, it’s experiential. And it’s already here.

Big news: We’re officially launching the Atmosfy Partner Network (APN) 🌎 Over the past few months, we’ve been transforming our partnerships into a full ecosystem: a global partner network connecting travel, events, dining, and experiences into one seamless platform. Here’s what makes this special: - A Unified Partner Ecosystem. The Atmosfy Partner Network already includes leading names like Expedia, SeatGeek, and GetYourGuide, along with many others across dining, nightlife, travel, and experiences. Together, these partners form one connected ecosystem that drives discovery and real-world action. - A Universal Currency. Powered by Atmosfy Credits, users can now earn up to 10% back across everything they do from hotels and events to local experiences. Credits can be earned with one partner and redeemed with another, creating a single rewards system that functions like points you can apply with Atmosfy Partners. - An Integrated Network. We’re expanding the Atmosfy Partner Network to select brands that want to plug directly into the Atmosfy Credits Ecosystem, with dedicated tabs, on-platform visibility, and real user engagement built into the product. We’re backed by investors including Capital One, Plug and Play, and Suntory, and we’re expanding that network through our partners across travel, dining, and lifestyle experiences. Powered by OpenAI, Google, and AWS. OpenAI technology powers the real-time, city-level intelligence across 250 million discovered experiences, shaping how users discover, engage, and connect around the world. We’re now opening limited spots for new partners to join the Atmosfy Partner Network and plug directly into the Atmosfy Credits Ecosystem powering our travel, event, and experience integrations. If you’re interested in joining the future of discovery, apply in the comments below.

Atmosfy operates in more than 150 countries, and it’s always been critical for us to bring leaders into our orbit who deeply understand the regions we’re scaling into. How can we blend social, culture, and discovery, and what unique opportunities exist in each region to help people connect and explore the world around them? When I met Hazleen Ahmad, it was clear she shared not only a passion for the product but also a deep understanding of the cultural resonance of Southeast Asia, and how Atmosfy is uniquely positioned to bring people together around a shared love of real experiences. We’re incredibly excited to be building Atmosfy with her, and to officially welcome her as both an investor and member of our Advisory Board. As we continue expanding across Southeast Asia, we’re thrilled to have Hazleen helping shape our regional expansion strategy and bringing her expertise in impact-driven growth and cross-cultural ecosystems to the table. A bit about Hazleen: As Deputy CEO of the Institute of Neurodiversity and a Global Ambassador for Sustainability, she’s helping shape a future where technology and humanity grow together. On Neuroscience and Engagement: “The human brain is wired for both exploration and familiarity. Too much novelty and users feel overwhelmed; too much repetition and they get bored. The opportunity is to balance habit formation with genuine discovery, engagement rooted in joy, not just dopamine spikes.” On Building Communities at Scale: “The most successful social enterprises never see impact and growth as trade-offs. If Atmosfy helps people connect not only by discovering places, but by feeling part of something bigger, every city becomes more than a market, it becomes a community.” On Storytelling Across Generations: “Gen Z craves authenticity and immediacy, while older generations seek trust and context. The key is telling one story in multiple layers, playful for younger users, structured for partners. This is youth culture that everyone can relate to: the heartbeat of humanity in a borderless world.” Excited to welcome you, Hazleen, and to continue building this global movement together!

I still remember talking to some of our very first creators when Atmosfy launched. Almost every conversation ended with that same question. Creators naturally thought: if I can post where I eat, why not where I drink? Why not where I stay? Why not what I "do"? As the community grew, creators didn’t just share, they turned Atmosfy into a live feed of city life. Activities became one of the most powerful verticals, giving people a window into what was happening around them in real time. Starting November 1st, all experiences on Atmosfy will be bookable directly in-app, with GetYourGuide and other leading partners helping us bring the world’s best adventures to our community. From street food tours in Bangkok to boat rides in Houston, creators and fans can go from discovery to action in one tap. We began by helping people support local businesses in the wake of the pandemic. Today, we’re scaling that same mission globally, building city social at the city level. And if you’re interested in joining the Atmosfy Partnership Network alongside world-class brands like Expedia, SeatGeek, GetYourGuide, and many others, shoot me a DM. Joining Atmosfy Wallet isn’t just advertising. It’s tapping into a conversion engine powered by millions of dining, nightlife, and travel superfans who use Atmosfy Cash to book, share, and amplify your brand. It’s not just placement, it’s participation in a network where discovery drives action. Shoot me a message if you’d like to be part of it.

What does it take to build the future of AI discovery? For us, it started with bringing world-class engineering minds onto our Advisory Board. Leaders like Nachiket Torwekar—Sr. Director of Consumer AI/ML at Nike. Advisors are core to how we’ve built Atmosfy. World class leaders help us look around corners as we scale, people who’ve been there, done that, and help us avoid pitfalls while spotting opportunities. Nachiket brings 20+ years of engineering and leadership experience, and today he leads Consumer AI/ML at Nike as Sr. Director. That deep background has made his guidance invaluable as we shape the future of AI-personalized discovery at Atmosfy. When Atmosfy was still just an early app, Nachiket was a busy engineering leader, but he shared our excitement for the mission. He joined our Advisory Board as one of our very first advisors, and he’s been with us ever since. From engineering architecture to AI systems design, he’s helped us think bigger: building city-based intelligence powered by live video to show you exactly what you should be doing in your city, or anywhere you’re traveling. We asked him a few questions about the future of AI in discovery. As search shifts from keywords to agents, how will autonomous AI systems reshape real-time travel discovery? 💬 "Trip planning will move from browsing to instructing a concierge agent: “Design my perfect Friday night in Lisbon.” AI agents will understand intent, adapt to weather, crowds, or mood, and act on your behalf, rebooking dinner, rerouting you to a better spot, or surfacing a hidden gem. It’s not just a smarter search box, it’s like traveling with a close friend who knows the place inside out. How do agentic AI systems change the role of the traveler?" 💬 "With tools like Atmosfy’s Tibbs, travelers aren’t researchers anymore, they’re decision-makers. Instead of sifting through reviews, they ask: “What should I do right now?” and expect an answer rooted in live signals, video, and social proof. How should travel and experience brands prepare for AI intermediaries controlling the discovery funnel? 💬 "Brands must translate their uniqueness into structured metadata, context tags, and multimodal formats like video. In a world where 60% of Google searches end without a click, you can’t own the full funnel anymore, but you can own the handoff. Think: being the module an agent calls when a user expresses intent like , a relaxed evening with a hint of art." What’s the biggest missed opportunity for AI in travel today? 💬 "Most travel AI focuses on transactions, hotels, flights, bookings. But real travel intent starts earlier, often inspired by friends and family. The next leap is for AI to sense intent upstream, tapping into the “why” behind a trip." Thanks Nachiket, pumped to have you in our corner. Let’s go 🚀

Last week we had the chance to present Atmosfy at Plug and Plug and Play Tech Center Seminar in front of some of the world’s leading travel and hospitality brands. Today, we’re excited to share that Plug and Play Ventures has joined Atmosfy as one of our latest investors. Plug and Play has already been an incredible partner, from featuring us on stage at their Silicon Valley Summit in June, to facilitating global brand introductions, and now welcoming us into their Travel & Hospitality Program this fall to collaborate with top global brands. With their support, we’re continuing to scale Atmosfy’s mission: powering the world’s first AI-driven discovery engine, across 250M real-world experiences, helping people discover more, connect with others, and unlock savings in over 10,000 cities. Huge thank you to George Damouny and Ignacio Miranda for making this a reality. Excited to keep building together!

When I started Atmosfy, the mission was simple: support local restaurants by giving people a way to discover where to eat and drink through shared video experiences. It never fails to amaze me how we reverse-engineer things that feel “inevitable” once they work. But I can tell you with veritable certainty, it wasn’t always obvious that people would capture their dining experiences live on video. There were countless days fielding questions like: “You think people will just take videos at a restaurant? With everyone around them watching?” “Won’t that feel weird?” “What’s everyone else going to do at the table while they video?” I think that’s potentially one of the hardest things about being a Founder: what feels clear to you most often feels incredibly foreign to everyone else. You have to find a way to temper doubtful advice with unshakeable beliefs. Faith in the destination, but flexibility in the journey. We had a fundamental belief: that sharing experiences, inspiring others, and supporting local through video was the future. Fast forward to today, and it’s been incredible to watch our community expand that mission into something so much bigger. What began with eating and drinking has grown into a live window into the city, where people are sharing what they’re doing in real time, with events, sports, concerts, and festivals emerging as our fastest growing content verticals. Today, Atmosfy’s city feeds have truly become hyper-local social networks, with millions of people sharing what’s happening across 10K+ cities in real time. That’s why this news feels so special: SeatGeek is joining Atmosfy Wallet. Starting October 1, Atmosfy members will be able to book sports, concerts, and festivals directly inside the app, with exclusive perks like up to 10% off tickets. For us, this isn’t just another feature. It’s the next step in bringing locals together around a shared love of experiences. With 250M+ discovered experiences and 5M+ brands and businesses on the platform, we’re still just scratching the surface.

We’re proud to announce that Atmosfy is now backed by Suntory Global Spirits, through their newly launched Corporate Venture Capital arm. As one of the world’s most iconic spirits companies, with 6,000+ employees globally, Suntory Global Spirits has built brands that are as culturally resonant as they are timeless: Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Roku Gin, Hibiki, and more. At Atmosfy, we’re building the next chapter of real-world discovery, where AI, Creators, and video converge to create a real-time window into any city on Earth. We're not just helping users choose where to go, we’re building city-level social networks that make it easier to meet locals, find your tribe, and create meaningful in-person connections around a shared love of experiences. With 250 million experiences discovered across 10,000 cities, and a community of millions of passionate dining, nightlife, and travel superfans, Atmosfy empowers culturally relevant brands like Suntory to connect at the precise moment of intent, when users are actively choosing where to go, what to book, and who to go with. This partnership isn’t just about capital, it’s about shared vision, cultural alignment, and unlocking the future of meaningful discovery. Welcome aboard, Gurdeep and the Suntory Global Spirits CVC Team Here’s to building something truly iconic.