After nearly six months of ideation, iteration, and development, Prospus has decided to postpone, and possibly even discontinue, its funding of the forthcoming Pormora travel app. Prospus CEO and Founder Marc Ragsdale released an internal memo this past Wednesday, in which he wrote, “Today is the day we have all been dreading. But since the outbreak of the pandemic, the closure of borders, and the uncertainty around the future of travel, it does not make sense to continue the development of a travel platform”.
Pormora was the recipient of a funds from the 2020 Prospus Fund, which offers funding, resources, and talent to innovative digital startups. Pormora grew out of Ragsdale’s own travel experiences, but was built around a talented group of Indian entrepreneurs. Pormora promised to be a new kind of travel app for discerning travelers, and was already gaining traction in trials with travel providers. However, after one month of increasing uncertainty due to the coronovirus, the travel industry has come to a complete standstill.
“We really have an innovative app,” said the lead product manager associated with Pormora. “We all travel, and not one experience is as streamlined and curated as the one provided by Pormora”. Pormora aimed to introduce technology into the travel flow without intruding. “We want technology to do what technology is good at — facilitate. And then we want it to get out of the way”, she added. The Pormora website has also been taken down, and traffic will be redirected to Prospus’ main website. A spokesperson for Prospus shared that all trial participants have been contacted and are aware of Prospus’ plans. “We thank the Pormora team and those in the travel community who have supported us throughout our journey. There is a possibility, in the post-pandemic world, that we will revive this startup. If that is the case, then all of our supporters will be the first to know”, added Ragsdale.
On a positive note, Prospus has already taken steps to accelerate its efforts in remote workforce management solutions, and aims to share an announcement this upcoming month about its strategic shift.
