Jerne
Jerne is a two-sided SaaS marketplace connecting 11,000+ travel curators (influencers, content creators, travel advisors) with 325+ experience providers (cruise lines, hotels, tour operators) across 100+ countries, monetizing through tiered subscriptions, referral commissions, and The 1000 Club managed services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Jerne does
Jerne (operating as Nfluenc Group Inc.) is a privately held Canadian SaaS company headquartered in Toronto that operates a two-sided marketplace connecting influential travel curators—content creators, social media influencers, and travel advisors—with experience providers including cruise lines, hotels, tour operators, restaurants, and spas. Founded in March 2021 by Tim Morgan and Ryan McElroy (both veterans of the travel and travel-technology industry, with backgrounds at Virtuoso and Travel Agency Tribes respectively) and publicly launched on January 1, 2023, Jerne has grown to 11,000+ registered curators and 325+ experience providers spanning more than 100 countries. The platform manages the full lifecycle of creator-brand collaborations: curator sourcing, identity verification, agreement administration, content management, affiliate booking attribution through Global Distribution System (GDS) rate codes, commission reconciliation, and ROI reporting through proprietary metrics including Total Reach Count (TRC) and Earned Media Value (EMV).
The company monetizes through three streams: tiered annual SaaS subscriptions to brands (Starter, Premium, and custom-priced Enterprise packages), referral commissions on bookings attributable to curator links (paid within 45 days of service delivery), and managed services offered under the acquired The 1000 Club sub-brand, which represents a verified elite travel advisor community producing US$3B in annual sales. Premium and Enterprise tiers add modules for forecasting, warm leads, education, and a proprietary Brand Match Formula, while the November 2024 launch of an industry-first Curator Rating System introduced ID-verified creator profiles. Underlying technology integrates with Google Sign-In, Stripe, HubSpot, Google Analytics, and GDS connections; the company carries over US$7M in cyber and operational insurance coverage.
Jerne's go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales to cruise and tour operators (Virgin Voyages, Windstar Cruises, AmaWaterways, G Adventures, Riverside Luxury Cruises, World's Greatest Cruises), channel partnerships with travel agency networks (notably Lufthansa City Center International, 580 offices across 105 countries), event-driven marketing at industry conferences, and invitation-only curator onboarding. The company is the Official Creator Economy Partner of Forbes Travel Guide and was named to PhocusWire's Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2024. The leadership team comprises co-founders Tim Morgan (CEO) and Ryan McElroy (CMO), CCO Jeff Sirota (appointed July 2024, formerly VP at Small Luxury Hotels of the World), and CTO Jeremy Sikkema (appointed February 2025, co-founder of NUI Verification Services); the company has not disclosed external venture funding.
Jerne firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Jerne
- Legal name
- Nfluenc Group Inc. dba Jerne
- Website
- https://jerne.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Jerne is a two-sided SaaS marketplace connecting 11,000+ travel curators (influencers, content creators, travel advisors) with 325+ experience providers (cruise lines, hotels, tour operators) across 100+ countries, monetizing through tiered subscriptions, referral commissions, and The 1000 Club managed services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Jerne industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Travel Influencer Marketing SaaS / Creator Partnership Platform
- NAICS
- Travel Agencies (561510), Media Buying Agencies (541830), Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (7114)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tours, Activities & Experiences Booking (HSACAKAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Professional/Managed Inventory Vacation Rental Marketplaces (THAMALAB), Travel Subscription, Membership & Deal Clubs (THAKAAAL)
Keywords
Where Jerne is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Jerne business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Platform Subscription (Brands): Jerne charges experience providers (hotels, cruise lines, tour operators) subscription fees for access to the curator platform. Pricing includes Starter, Premium, and Enterprise packages with varying feature levels.
- Referral Commissions: Jerne earns commission on attributable bookings made through curator referral links. Curators earn referral payments while Jerne takes a portion. Payments are made within 45 days of service delivery or fund receipt from travel agency partners.
- The 1000 Club Platform: Jerne acquired The 1000, a US$3B club for influential travel advisors, and provides the platform for managing hosted experiences. Revenue from premium features and managed services for this elite advisor network.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Starter Package - Core platform access for brands to manage curator relationships |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium Package - Full-featured platform with advanced targeting and forecasting |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Enterprise Package - Multi-location management for hotel/brand groups |
| Subscription | Monthly | Optional Add-Ons |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Jerne product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Jerne operates a two-sided SaaS marketplace platform that connects influential travel curators (social media influencers, content creators, travel advisors, and journalists) with travel experience providers (hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, restaurants, and spas). Brands subscribe to access curated discovery, hosted experience invitations, commission-tracked bookings via GDS, content archiving, and Earned Media Value analytics, while curators gain access to partnership opportunities and referral earnings.
Product overview
Jerne is a two-sided SaaS platform operating as the world's leading marketplace connecting influential travel curators (influencers, content creators, travel advisors, journalists, and other creators) with travel experience providers (hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, restaurants, spas). The platform is structured around the core Jerne Platform, which handles curator sourcing, verification, agreement administration, content management, affiliate booking attribution, commission reconciliation, earned media analytics, and ROI reporting. Sub-brand The 1000 operates as an exclusive verified travel advisor community acquired by Jerne, offering supplier brands a dedicated tiered subscription to manage hosted experiences with elite advisors. Subscription tiers (Starter, Premium/Popular, Enterprise) are available for both the core platform and The 1000, with optional modules for managed services, travel advisor programs, education, brand matching, forecasting, and remarketing.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Jerne Platform (Curator Marketplace) A two-sided SaaS marketplace platform connecting influential travel curators (influencers, content creators, travel advisors, journalists) with experience providers (hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, restaurants, spas) to source, verify, contract, administer hosted experiences, attribute bookings, track commissions through GDS connections, and report on earned media value (EMV) and ROI.
- The 1000 (Verified Travel Advisor Community Platform) An exclusive global subscription platform for verified top travel advisors (avg. $2M–$3M+ annual sales across 15 countries), acquired by Jerne from its co-founders Tim Morgan and Jeff Sirota. Supplier brands subscribe to discover, invite, and manage hosted experiences for hundreds of verified elite advisors and access a US$3B-producing community.
- Jerne Mobile/Web Application Mobile and web application at jerne.app providing curators and brands with account access, application and invitation management, hosted experience tracking, content archiving, and commission earnings views.
Quantifiable outcome
- Average 170,944 content impressions per hosted experience
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Jerne
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Jerne technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature6 records
Jerne partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Virgin VoyagescoreJerne partners with Virgin Voyages for social media sales success, connecting over 9,000 influential creators in 102 countries with incentives to promote the brand's cruise offerings to 3.3 billion combined followers. Partnership focused on driving awareness and bookings through creator content.
- World's Greatest CruisescoreJerne partnered with World's Greatest Cruises, the first and only cruise travel TV series airing on PBS stations, to highlight benefits of working with expert local travel advisors and provide exclusive opportunities for top advisors.
- Riverside Luxury CruisescoreRiverside Luxury Cruises and Jerne partnered to offer simplified solution for cruise line and travel advisors to manage hundreds of hosted experience/FAM trip opportunities. Partnership streamlines advisor engagement for the all-suite European luxury river cruise company.
- Lufthansa City Center InternationalcoreLufthansa City Center International, one of world's leading travel agency networks with 580 offices in 105 countries, partnered with Jerne to manage relationships with 8,500 content creators and influencers. Partnership announced at LCC NXT Annual Conference in Braga, Portugal.
- Windstar CruisescoreWindstar Cruises partnered with Jerne to expand social marketing reach through Jerne's 6,000-strong network of creators in 91 countries, reaching 2.7 billion consumers. Partnership celebrated with co-hosted Star Legend voyage for Mediterranean itinerary.
- PhocusWrightsupportingJerne was one of only 6 brands mentioned in PhocusWright's 'The Creator Effect: Harnessing the Power of Collaboration in Travel' study. Jerne was the only influencer and content curator management platform invited to participate.
- AmaWaterwayscoreAmaWaterways, award-winning luxury river cruise line, announced category-first entry into creator economy by partnering with Jerne. Approved creators gain access to apply for, experience, create content for, and promote AmaWaterways river cruises to new audiences.
- G AdventurescoreG Adventures partnered with Jerne to expand US-based content creator relationships, streamlining creator/experience relationship from start to finish. Partnership focuses on specific geographical areas, themes, and experiences aligning with marketing strategies.
- Forbes Travel GuidecoreJerne is the Official Creator Economy Partner of Forbes Travel Guide, the global authority on luxury hospitality. This partnership positions Jerne as the preferred platform for luxury hospitality brands seeking creator partnerships.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Jerne competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Traackr: Influencer marketing platform offering creator discovery, campaign management, and ROI analytics for global brands. Closely comparable to Jerne as a SaaS layer between brands and creators, though focused outside travel.
- Aspire: Influencer and creator marketing platform used by consumer brands including travel and hospitality clients. Comparable to Jerne in offering end-to-end creator relationship management and performance measurement.
- Grin: Creator marketing platform providing relationship management, content workflows, and ROI tracking. Direct competitor to Jerne for travel brand marketing budgets that could be served by either platform.
- Fora Travel: Modern travel advisor community platform offering training, supplier partnerships, and hosted experiences to advisors. Directly comparable to The 1000 Club sub-brand acquired by Jerne.
- CreatorIQ: Enterprise creator management platform with workflow, measurement, and brand-safety capabilities. Competes with Jerne for the same brand-side customers seeking to manage influencer programs at scale.
Emerging players
- Wanderly: Travel advisor group booking and community platform used by host agencies. Comparable to Jerne's hosted experience / FAM trip workflows for travel advisors.
- TravelJoy: Travel advisor operating system with itinerary building, supplier integrations, and client management. Adjacent to The 1000 Club and could overlap as it adds hosted experience and supplier collaboration features.
Broad incumbents
- CJ Affiliate: Established affiliate marketing network with travel brand clients and booking attribution capabilities. A broad incumbent whose travel-vertical commission tracking overlaps Jerne's referral revenue model.
- PartnerStack: B2B partner ecosystem platform offering referral program management and marketplace infrastructure. Adjacent to Jerne's two-sided SaaS, with stronger enterprise sales footprint outside travel.
- impact.com: Large-scale partner and affiliate marketing platform with travel brand customers and tracking infrastructure (similar to Jerne's GDS-linked attribution). Represents broader incumbent competition as it expands into creator-driven affiliate models.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Jerne social profiles
Digital presenceJerne compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Jerne financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Jerne leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Jerne subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Jerne funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Jerne M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Jerne
What does Jerne do?
Jerne operates a two-sided SaaS marketplace platform that connects influential travel curators (social media influencers, content creators, travel advisors, and journalists) with travel experience providers (hotels, cruise lines, tour operators, restaurants, and spas). Brands subscribe to access curated discovery, hosted experience invitations, commission-tracked bookings via GDS, content archiving, and Earned Media Value analytics, while curators gain access to partnership opportunities and referral earnings.
Is Jerne a public or private company?
Jerne is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Jerne founded?
Jerne was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Jerne based?
Jerne is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Jerne make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Platform Subscription (Brands) is the primary driver. The others are referral Commissions and the 1000 Club Platform.
Who are Jerne's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Traackr, Aspire, Grin, Fora Travel and CreatorIQ. Emerging players are Wanderly and TravelJoy. Broad incumbents are CJ Affiliate, PartnerStack and impact.com.
Does Jerne have an API?
No public API is recorded for Jerne.
What industry is Jerne in?
Jerne's product category is Travel Influencer Marketing SaaS / Creator Partnership Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACAKAF, Tours, Activities & Experiences Booking, with a secondary code of THAMALAB, Professional/Managed Inventory Vacation Rental Marketplaces. Its NAICS code is 561510 and its SIC code is 7900.