LOST iN
LOST iN is a travel media brand and DTC e-commerce platform selling curated city guidebooks, branded merchandise, and tiered membership subscriptions to affluent young professional travelers. Following its 2024 relaunch by former Jukin Media founders, it acquired BuzzFeed's Bring Me! travel vertical, expanding to 6M+ social followers globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2024
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What LOST iN does
LOST iN is a travel media brand and direct-to-consumer e-commerce company selling curated city guidebooks, branded merchandise, and tiered subscription memberships to affluent young professional travelers (the "premium economy" segment). The brand originated as a Berlin-based guidebook publisher founded in 2013 and was acquired and relaunched in June 2024 by former Jukin Media co-founders Jonathan Skogmo, Mike Skogmo, and Anton Reut, who closed a $4M seed round led by MaC Venture Capital. Original founder Uwe Hasenfuß continues as Co-founder & CMO/Editor In Chief.
The company operates a Shopify-powered storefront at lostin.com with multi-currency support across the US, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, and global shipping. Its product catalog spans 29+ city-specific guidebooks (priced $18-35, including a 250-page Europe guide covering 25 destinations), branded merchandise such as posters, snapback hats, and notebooks ($10-34), and three recurring membership tiers — Premium Economy ($39.99/mo), First Class ($59.99/mo), and Private ($99.99/mo). Core technology is an integrated content-to-commerce stack combining print publishing, digital content, video (YouTube), short-form social (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook), and email newsletters. Following the July 2024 acquisition of BuzzFeed's Bring Me! travel vertical, LOST iN added 6M+ social media followers and reach into 189 countries, plus inherited brand partnerships with Alaska Airlines and Hilton.
Revenue is generated through four streams: one-time guidebook and merchandise sales, recurring membership subscriptions, advertising and brand partnership income, and creator/content collaborations. The company expanded its creator network via professional travel creator partnerships announced October 2024 and has earned media coverage from Forbes, Adweek, Axios, Tubefilter, and Mediapost. Customer concentration is primarily consumer-side (long-tail DTC) supplemented by a small number of named B2B travel brand partners.
LOST iN firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- LOST iN
- Legal name
- LOST iN
- Website
- https://lostin.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2024
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- LOST iN is a travel media brand and DTC e-commerce platform selling curated city guidebooks, branded merchandise, and tiered membership subscriptions to affluent young professional travelers. Following its 2024 relaunch by former Jukin Media founders, it acquired BuzzFeed's Bring Me! travel vertical, expanding to 6M+ social followers globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
LOST iN industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Travel Guidebooks and Media
- NAICS
- Book Retailers and News Dealers (4592), Travel Agencies (561510)
- SIC
- Blankbooks, Looseleaf Binders & Bookbindg & Relatd Work (2780)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lifestyle, Travel & Leisure Books Publishing (MPAJAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Travel & Outdoors Magazines (MPAJAEAH), Review-Led Travel Discovery & Booking Platforms (THAKAAAN)
Keywords
Where LOST iN is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
LOST iN business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
Revenue model
- Travel Guidebook Sales: Sale of printed and digital travel guidebooks for individual cities and multi-city compilations (e.g., Europe guide covering 25 cities)
- Advertising & Brand Partnerships: Partnerships with brands across print, video, email newsletters, and in-person events targeting their community of travel enthusiasts
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including posters, apparel (hats, snapbacks), and specialty items
- Membership Subscriptions: LOST iN Membership tiers (First Class, Premium Economy, Private) offering recurring subscription benefits to community members
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LOST iN Switzerland Guide |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LOST iN Europe Guide |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | City Guide Posters |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LOST iN Brooklyn Hat - Limited Edition |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | LOST iN Notes (Notebook) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Premium Economy Membership |
| Subscription | Monthly | First Class Membership |
| Subscription | Monthly | Private Membership |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
LOST iN product offering
Product offeringCore offering
LOST iN is a travel media brand that publishes and sells award-winning city-specific printed travel guidebooks featuring long-form interviews with locals, original photography, and cultural storytelling. The company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront (lostin.com) where it sells guidebooks, branded merchandise such as posters, hats, and notebooks, and recurring membership subscriptions (First Class, Premium Economy, Private) offering premium travel content and community access.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LOST iN City Guide Book Series
- LOST iN Europe Multi-City Guide
Quantifiable outcome
- 10 million+ travel enthusiasts reached through brand platform
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use LOST iN
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
LOST iN technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
LOST iN partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Professional Travel CreatorscoreLOST iN announced partnerships with top professional travel creators to expand content creation and reach new audiences. This follows the company's strategic expansion in the travel media sector.
- BuzzFeed (Bring Me!)coreLOST iN acquired BuzzFeed's Bring Me! travel vertical, a leading travel media publisher reaching 189 countries with partnerships with brands like Alaska Airlines and Hilton. The acquisition added more than 6 million social media followers and strengthened LOST iN's position as a premier travel inspiration brand.
- Alaska AirlinesminorBrand partnership relationship from Bring Me! acquisition - Alaska Airlines was a brand partner of the Bring Me! travel vertical
- HiltonminorBrand partnership relationship from Bring Me! acquisition - Hilton was a brand partner of the Bring Me! travel vertical
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
LOST iN competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is the most direct competitor to LOST iN, publishing award-winning printed and digital city/country travel guides with curated local recommendations. Both target independent travelers seeking editorial-quality destination content, though Lonely Planet operates at much larger global scale.
- Time Out: Time Out is a global city-guide media brand combining editorial content, curated venue recommendations, and digital/magazine distribution across dozens of major cities — a near-identical content model to LOST iN. Both monetize through advertising, memberships, and editorial products targeting affluent urban travelers.
- Atlas Obscura: Atlas Obscura is a digital-first travel discovery platform built around unique, locally-sourced destinations and experiences, with a strong community and editorial voice. It overlaps LOST iN's positioning of 'hidden gems' and authentic local recommendations for curious travelers.
- Afar Media: Afar is a travel media brand built on long-form storytelling, local perspectives, and a membership community — closely aligned with LOST iN's editorial positioning and audience of culturally curious travelers. Both emphasize experiential, locally-led travel content over traditional tourism recommendations.
- Culture Trip: Culture Trip is a digital travel and culture content platform producing editorial content, city guides, and short-form video targeting millennial/Gen-X travelers. It is comparable as a younger-skewing, digitally native travel media brand competing for the same audience attention.
- Fodor's Travel: Fodor's is a legacy travel guidebook publisher (print + digital) covering global destinations with curated local recommendations. It competes with LOST iN primarily in the printed guidebook category and shared audience of independent travelers.
Broad incumbents
- Condé Nast Traveler: Condé Nast Traveler is a major established travel publication with deep editorial resources, print magazine, digital platform, and large advertising business targeting luxury and aspirational travelers. It overlaps LOST iN's premium-economy positioning from the higher end of the market.
- Travel + Leisure: Travel + Leisure is a flagship travel media brand combining magazine publishing, digital content, and travel inspiration targeting affluent leisure travelers. Like Condé Nast Traveler, it competes for the same premium traveler attention and advertising budgets as LOST iN.
Emerging players
- Mr & Mrs Smith: Mr & Mrs Smith is a curated boutique hotel and travel membership club targeting affluent travelers with editorial-quality content and a paid membership tier. It is comparable to LOST iN's premium membership positioning and curated discovery model, though focused on hotels rather than city guides.
- Monocle: Monocle is a premium lifestyle media brand combining print magazine, digital content, and curated retail (including travel guides and city guides) targeting affluent, culturally engaged readers. It is comparable to LOST iN in editorial positioning, premium product pricing, and integrated commerce.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
LOST iN social profiles
Digital presenceLOST iN financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
LOST iN leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
LOST iN subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
LOST iN funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
LOST iN M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about LOST iN
What does LOST iN do?
LOST iN is a travel media brand that publishes and sells award-winning city-specific printed travel guidebooks featuring long-form interviews with locals, original photography, and cultural storytelling. The company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront (lostin.com) where it sells guidebooks, branded merchandise such as posters, hats, and notebooks, and recurring membership subscriptions (First Class, Premium Economy, Private) offering premium travel content and community access.
Is LOST iN a public or private company?
LOST iN is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was LOST iN founded?
LOST iN was founded in 2024. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is LOST iN based?
LOST iN is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does LOST iN make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Travel Guidebook Sales are the primary driver. The others are advertising & Brand Partnerships, merchandise Sales and membership Subscriptions.
Who are LOST iN's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lonely Planet, Time Out, Atlas Obscura, Afar Media, Culture Trip and Fodor's Travel. Broad incumbents are Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure. Emerging players are Mr & Mrs Smith and Monocle.
Does LOST iN have an API?
No public API is recorded for LOST iN.
What industry is LOST iN in?
LOST iN's product category is Travel Guidebooks and Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAH, Lifestyle, Travel & Leisure Books Publishing, with a secondary code of MPAJAEAH, Travel & Outdoors Magazines. Its NAICS code is 4592 and its SIC code is 2780.