We're very happy to announce our investment in Dersu, the app to plan routes and connect lovers of hiking and the mountains. We're leading a €1M round, along with Itnig, Didi Value Partners, Extension Fund and business angels.
Dersu was founded in May 2021 in Jaca by Borja Delgado, Fernando Errekalde, Juan Delgado, and María Renilla, experts in the technology and mountain sectors who decided to develop a digital product with a strong focus on safety and sustainability values.
The market for outdoor activities has grown exponentially since the pandemic. Approximately 5 million hikers live in Spain, a figure that increases to 50 million hikers in the USA, and nearly 200 million hikers worldwide.
Growing does not come without problems, though.
The figures for accidents, rescues, and deaths are at a record high (more people died in mountain accidents in Aragón, Spain in 2019 than in road accidents).
If the necessary actions are not taken to control the impact of outdoor activities, the natural environment will find very difficult to absorb this increased activity.
In order to tackle mountain activities more safely, Dersu has created a platform that already has 1,700 users in Spain. For this purpose, it begins by describing the mountaineer levels for users to choose from, which is the starting point to recommend routes that suit the person's objectives. Professional guides have developed every route, and a learning section dedicated to the mountain complements the training.
The app shows relevant information about the route to be done: difficulty, more complex points, materials required, weather conditions in the area, and even offers the possibility of planning the activity in a group and making sure the route is appropriate for each user.
“Dersu's goal is to help people build a long term and healthy relationship with nature so that each individual, regardless of their level, enjoys outdoor activities at their own pace, creating a healthy and lasting relationship with nature.” says Borja Delgado, CEO of Dersu.
Dersu has also created Dersu Data, hand in hand with ITAINNOVA. As a result of this new line of work, enhanced information and data related to activities in the mountains will be available, to support better planning in the safety, sustainability and tourism areas.
We're very happy to announce our investment in Dersu, the app to plan routes and connect lovers of hiking and the mountains. We're leading a €1M round, along with Itnig, Didi Value Partners, Extension Fund and business angels.
Dersu was founded in May 2021 in Jaca by Borja Delgado, Fernando Errekalde, Juan Delgado, and María Renilla, experts in the technology and mountain sectors who decided to develop a digital product with a strong focus on safety and sustainability values.
The market for outdoor activities has grown exponentially since the pandemic. Approximately 5 million hikers live in Spain, a figure that increases to 50 million hikers in the USA, and nearly 200 million hikers worldwide.
Growing does not come without problems, though.
The figures for accidents, rescues, and deaths are at a record high (more people died in mountain accidents in Aragón, Spain in 2019 than in road accidents).
If the necessary actions are not taken to control the impact of outdoor activities, the natural environment will find very difficult to absorb this increased activity.
In order to tackle mountain activities more safely, Dersu has created a platform that already has 1,700 users in Spain. For this purpose, it begins by describing the mountaineer levels for users to choose from, which is the starting point to recommend routes that suit the person's objectives. Professional guides have developed every route, and a learning section dedicated to the mountain complements the training.
The app shows relevant information about the route to be done: difficulty, more complex points, materials required, weather conditions in the area, and even offers the possibility of planning the activity in a group and making sure the route is appropriate for each user.
“Dersu's goal is to help people build a long term and healthy relationship with nature so that each individual, regardless of their level, enjoys outdoor activities at their own pace, creating a healthy and lasting relationship with nature.” says Borja Delgado, CEO of Dersu.
Dersu has also created Dersu Data, hand in hand with ITAINNOVA. As a result of this new line of work, enhanced information and data related to activities in the mountains will be available, to support better planning in the safety, sustainability and tourism areas.
