Localbird is a technology company.
Localbird has raised $7.0M across 1 funding round.
Localbird has raised $7.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Localbird is an Israeli travel-tech startup founded in 2023 that provides property managers and Airbnb hosts with a free AI-powered concierge platform. It offers guests curated, bookable local services and experiences—such as private chefs, massages, tours, transportation, and activities—tailored to property details, destination, guest preferences (language, interests, budget, schedule, seasonality).[1][2][4] The platform solves the problem of outdated or limited local recommendations in vacation rentals by enabling hosts to share insider knowledge, monetize it through commissions, and deliver a hotel-grade experience, while boosting host revenue and guest satisfaction in the short-term rental market.[1][3] Localbird serves over 10,000 vacation rentals worldwide, has achieved 4× year-over-year growth amid challenges like war-related reserve duty, and recently raised $7.4M in seed funding to expand in the U.S. and Latin America, accelerate product development, and double its ~30-person team across Israel and Latin America.[1][4]
Localbird was founded in 2023 by Israeli brothers Ben Levy (CEO) and Or Levy (COO) (noted as Joseph in some accounts), both lone soldiers who immigrated to Israel to serve in the IDF.[1][2] The idea sparked during a 2020 family trip to Hawaii, where online searches for local experiences like surfboard rentals yielded poor results, and their host provided only a dusty notebook of handwritten contacts and outdated flyers.[1][2] This highlighted how hosts possess untapped local expertise that could enhance guest stays and generate income if digitized and monetized easily.[2]
Early traction came despite adversity: amid the Israel-Hamas war, the founders managed remotely during hundreds of reserve-duty days, relying on teams in Israel (half in Tel Aviv) and Latin America. Through cash-flow discipline and new revenue channels, they expanded markets, hired globally, and closed their seed round—demonstrating resilience and a self-reinforcing model where bookings motivate hosts to promote services, expanding supply and fit.[1]
Localbird rides the explosive growth of short-term rentals (e.g., Airbnb's dominance) and rising demand for authentic, personalized travel post-pandemic, where guests seek "stories" over transactions amid experiential tourism trends.[2][3] Timing aligns with AI advancements enabling scalable personalization in hospitality, addressing pain points like fragmented local discovery in a $100B+ vacation rental market fragmented by outdated host tools.[1][5] Market forces favoring it include U.S./Latin America expansion potential, host revenue pressures, and guest expectations for five-star service in non-hotels.[1] By empowering hosts as "experience curators," Localbird influences the ecosystem, potentially setting standards for AI concierges in proptech and bridging travel-tech gaps for property managers.[3][4]
Localbird's momentum—4× growth, $7.4M seed, and global hiring—positions it to dominate AI concierges in vacation rentals, with 2026 plans to double headcount in product, engineering, sales, and more.[1] Trends like AI-driven hyper-personalization, experiential travel, and proptech consolidation will propel it, especially as platforms like Airbnb integrate similar tools. Its influence may evolve from niche enhancer to ecosystem staple, challenging incumbents through host loyalty loops—turning every stay into a competitive edge, much like that Hawaii lightbulb moment scaled worldwide.[1][2]
Localbird has raised $7.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Localbird's investors include Amit Gilon, Gil Hirsch.
Localbird has raised $7.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $7.0M Seed in November 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2025 | $7.0M Seed | Amit Gilon, Gil Hirsch |