u/Reasonable-Home-4676

For 4 years, I was a tour guide in Dubai. Desert safaris, city tours, dhow cruises. I was the guy in the van at 7am, the guy travellers tipped, the guy operators called when things went wrong. I saw how this industry actually works from the ground. And honestly? It's broken. The operator loses 30-50% to concierges and middlemen. The traveller pays more and gets less. Everything runs on WhatsApp, cash, and handshakes. In a $330 billion industry across the Middle East and Asia, 70% is still offline. So I'm building the thing I wish existed when I was guiding.

Where I Actually Am (No Fluff):

· UK company registered. Stripe and bank account live.

· Website under development. App planned for later.

· 4 years guiding in Dubai. I know the operators, DMCs, concierge networks, and seasonal rhythms personally.

· Conversations with operators in UAE and China. Interest is real. Nothing signed yet.

· Pre-revenue. Pre-launch.

The Ask (Planning):

· $400K pre-seed for 10% equity (SAFE, $4M cap).

For 4 years, I was a tour guide in Dubai. Desert safaris, city tours, dhow cruises. I was the guy in the van at 7am, the guy travellers tipped, the guy operators called when things went wrong. I saw how this industry actually works from the ground. And honestly? It's broken. The operator loses 30-50% to concierges and middlemen. The traveller pays more and gets less. Everything runs on WhatsApp, cash, and handshakes. In a $330 billion industry across the Middle East and Asia, 70% is still offline. So I'm building the thing I wish existed when I was guiding.

Where I Actually Am (No Fluff):

· UK company registered. Stripe and bank account live.

· Website under development. App planned for later.

· 4 years guiding in Dubai. I know the operators, DMCs, concierge networks, and seasonal rhythms personally.

· Conversations with operators in UAE and China. Interest is real. Nothing signed yet.

· Pre-revenue. Pre-launch.

The Ask (Planning):

· $400K pre-seed for 10% equity (SAFE, $4M cap).

My Real Questions to You:

1. Would you back a former guide who knows the problem from the inside, even without traction yet?
2. What would you need to see from someone like me to write a cheque?
3. Is a $4M cap reasonable, or am I too early for that?