The Wanderlust Group

What The Wanderlust Group does

The Wanderlust Group is a private outdoor travel technology company founded in 2014 in Newport, Rhode Island, operating a remote-first organization. The company builds two-sided marketplaces and technology platforms that connect adventurers to destinations and help those destinations grow, with its core focus on the marine industry.

The company's primary product is Dockwa, a marina reservation marketplace and operating system that enables boaters to search, book, and pay for marina stays (slips, moorings, and storage racks) while providing marina operators with inventory management, automated invoicing, point-of-sale functionality, dockwalk occupancy surveys, and messaging tools. Dockwa's distinguishing technical feature is its real-time dynamic inventory matching engine that solves marina-specific operational complexity — matching boats of varying sizes, drafts, beams, and arrival/departure times to available dockage. The company also operates Marinas.com, the world's largest directory of marinas and yacht clubs with reviews and operator training resources, acquired in 2017. The platform serves 920+ marinas and yacht clubs and 350,000+ boaters across 30+ countries, with 5M+ nights booked cumulatively.

The business model combines transaction-based revenue (fees on marina reservations processed through the marketplace) with subscription-based revenue (marina operators pay for the operating system and management tools). The company reports that the average marina using Dockwa sees a 20% increase in net operating income and an $800,000 increase in property value, with boaters spending an average of $300 in destination towns. In January 2022, the company raised a $30 million Series C led by Thursday Ventures, bringing cumulative funding to approximately $52.85M, and launched The Wanderfund philanthropic initiative committing $300,000 annually to environmental nonprofits.

Name

The Wanderlust Group

Legal name

The Wanderlust Group, Inc.

Website

https://thewanderlustgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Wanderlust Group is a private outdoor travel technology company operating Dockwa, a two-sided marina reservation marketplace serving 920+ marinas and 350,000+ boaters across 30+ countries with subscription and transaction-based revenue streams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marina Reservation Software

NAICS

Marinas (713930), Marinas (71393)

akta.pro primary industry

Shore Excursion Operators (Tours & Activities) (THAEAFAC)

Keywords

• Marina reservation software
• Boat slip booking
• Marina management platform
• Outdoor travel marketplace
• Two-sided marketplace

Headquarters

HQ city

Newport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Marina Transaction Processing: Platform fees and transaction fees from processing marina reservations, slip bookings, moorings and storage rack bookings through Dockwa. Average marina sees 20% increase in net operating income using the platform.
2. Marina Operator Subscription: Marina operators pay for access to Dockwa's operating system for inventory management, automated invoicing, reporting, point of sale, and dockwalk tools.
3. The Wanderfund Philanthropic Initiative: Philanthropic initiative investing $300,000 annually in environmental nonprofits. Not a revenue stream but indicates commitment to environmental causes as part of business strategy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Wanderlust Group operates a two-sided marina travel marketplace and operating platform through its flagship product Dockwa, connecting recreational boaters with marina and yacht club operators for slip, mooring, and storage bookings. It also runs Marinas.com, the world's largest directory of marinas, yacht clubs, anchorages, and boating destinations. For marina operators, Dockwa provides inventory management, automated invoicing, contract management, point of sale for onsite fuel and service purchases, occupancy surveying (dockwalk), and 24/7 online reservation acceptance.

Product overview

The Wanderlust Group operates a multi-product platform focused on outdoor travel technology. Its core portfolio consists of Dockwa (a two-sided marina reservation marketplace and operating system for marina operators), Marinas.com (the world's largest marina directory), and the forthcoming Campouts (a campground booking marketplace). The company positions itself as building the digital infrastructure for the marine and outdoor industries, offering transaction processing, inventory management, communication tools, and operational software for marina operators, alongside consumer-facing booking capabilities for boaters and adventurers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Wanderfund: A philanthropic initiative focused on supporting organizations that create greater access to nature and protect the environment, with initial investments in Ocean Conservancy and The Boys & Girls Club of Newport County

Products and services

• Dockwa Two-sided marina reservation marketplace and technology platform for boaters and marina operators; supports online booking of slips, moorings, and storage racks, inventory management, automated invoicing, point of sale for fuel and service purchases, messaging with approaching guests, and dockwalk occupancy surveys.
• Marinas.com The world's largest directory of marinas, yacht clubs, anchorages, service yards, and boating destinations, also serving as a resource and training platform for marina operators.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% average increase in net operating income for marinas using Dockwa
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Ocean ConservancyminorOthers · 19 January 2022The Wanderfund initiative will support Ocean Conservancy which works to protect the ocean from its greatest challenges. The Wanderfund is a new philanthropic initiative focused on supporting organizations that create greater access to nature and protect the environment.
• Boys & Girls Club of Newport CountyminorOthers · 19 January 2022The Wanderfund will support programs that get youth outside and introduce new generations to a shared love and respect for the outdoors. This investment is a tribute to the Newport community where The Wanderlust Group was founded.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/the.wanderlust.group
• Facebookfacebook.com/thewanderlustgroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wanderlustgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Wanderlust Group