Poncho, a Swiss startup specialising in weather-based refunds for outdoor experiences, has raised $617,000 in seed funding.

The funding round was led by WeBuild Ventures and marks a significant milestone for the company, which was founded in 2023 and currently operates with a lean team of three.

Poncho offers an innovative weather guarantee solution, designed to provide automatic refunds for outdoor events disrupted by unfavorable weather conditions. The service, targeted at businesses, aims to reduce cancellations, increase bookings, and improve customer satisfaction. The company’s intuitive API integration makes it easy for businesses to implement, streamlining operations and enhancing the overall user experience.

To deliver its service, Poncho leverages advanced real-time weather tracking from leading sources such as NOAA, ECMWF, and DWD, ensuring accurate and reliable insights. The technology-driven approach enables the startup to deliver seamless operations for businesses in the outdoor activity sector.

“After months of hard work, we are thrilled to announce that Poncho’s weather insurance solution is finally available! Our product allows travel and leisure businesses to seamlessly offer weather protection to their customers at the time of booking” said Omar Jerrari, Founder & CEO of Poncho.

He continued: “This funding is a significant step forward in our journey to make weather insurance accessible and straightforward for everyone. We’re excited to partner with our investors to bring Poncho’s vision to life and expand our footprint across the Swiss travel and leisure landscape.”

“We believe Poncho is solving a real and growing pain point in the travel and leisure industries. Their innovative approach to weather insurance has the potential to create immense value for businesses and customers alike.” added Nicolas Lagreze , Managing Director at WeBuild Ventures.