AI event planning platform BoomPop lands $25M
BoomPop, an AI-driven platform for corporate events and group travel, secured $25 million to scale its product and go-to-market. The equity round was led by Wing Venture Capital with participation from Atomic, Acme, Four Rivers, Thayer Investment Partners, the Fund of Operators Guild and Gaingels. Individual investors joined as well, including Brian O'Malley (an investor in HotelTonight and Fora). The raise also includes $16 million in debt and credit via Silicon Valley Bank.
What BoomPop does
Launched in 2023, BoomPop streamlines offsite and group event planning. Planners enter their needs-headcount, dates, budget, preferences-and the system analyzes variables like weather and pricing to generate ready-to-book options. Users can also browse a database of hotels, restaurants and venues to build an event manually.
After plans are set, the platform automates vendor booking, contract review and RSVP management. The aim is less back-and-forth, fewer spreadsheets and faster decisions for teams.
Why it matters for hospitality and events teams
Group business is messy: one event means dozens of room blocks, meeting spaces, F&B setups and dietary restrictions. As BoomPop co-founder and chief product officer Blake Hudelson put it, "Fifty people means 50 bookings, preferences and dietary restrictions, plus meeting spaces, activities and countless variables. Our AI doesn't just manage the chaos; it turns it into clarity."
Expect more structured RFPs, tighter timelines and higher expectations for digital responsiveness as planners lean on automated workflows. Venues and suppliers that plug into these workflows cleanly will win speed and conversion.
New leadership moves
Craig Dooley joins as VP and general manager of BoomPop Studio, the company's events agency. Indrajit Bavan steps in as VP of partnerships to deepen supplier and platform integrations.
What to watch next
- Faster group sales cycles: Automated shortlists and contracting compress decision windows. Be ready with real-time availability and clear pricing.
- Data-driven seasonality: If the tool weighs weather and price, shoulder dates may see smarter demand. Packaging and targeted offers will help capture it.
- Dietary and accessibility: Expect more granular requests. Keep menus, allergen data and accessibility details easy to share and approve.
- Contract clarity: Standardized terms and digital redlines will speed legal. Pre-agree service levels and cancellation policies to reduce friction.
Action steps for hotels, venues and DMCs
- Publish up-to-date group inventory, meeting room specs and capacity charts in a simple, shareable format.
- Standardize packages (AV, Wi-Fi, seating layouts, staging) with transparent add-ons and fees.
- Offer menu templates with pricing tiers and clear allergen labels. Include vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free defaults.
- Tighten response SLAs for RFPs and contract edits. Speed is now a deciding factor.
- Train your sales and events teams on AI-enabled planning workflows so collaboration feels seamless. If you're building team skills, explore curated AI learning paths by job function at Complete AI Training.
See BoomPop on stage
BoomPop founder and CEO Healey Cypher will present at The Phocuswright Conference, November 18-20 in San Diego, as part of the Launch series. Details and registration: Phocuswright Conference.
Key details
- Funding: $25M equity; plus $16M in debt and credit via Silicon Valley Bank
- Lead investor: Wing Venture Capital; participants include Atomic, Acme, Four Rivers, Thayer Investment Partners, the Fund of Operators Guild, Gaingels
- Launched: 2023
- Core features: AI-generated event options, venue and vendor browsing, booking automation, contract review, RSVP management
Bottom line: group planners will move faster with richer data. Suppliers who meet that pace-clean info, clear packages, quick contracts-will capture more wins.
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