Car touring startup Zijiacn announced it received a RMB5 million (approx: US$805,347) angel investment with Telline as the key investor. This adds to the RMB2 million (approx: US$322,139) seed investment it received previously.
Founded in March 2014 by Xiaolin Li as a subsidiary of Xian Xiantong Internet Technologies, Zijiacn is an O2O car touring product display and transaction platform. Any licensed user with internet access can list on the platform an original themed route featuring photography, gourmet, culture or sports themes and promote the route as a tour leader.
Zijiacn’s product team uses a variety of channels to scout for talented leaders among outdoor clubs and enthusiast group. Their specialties are then integrated into tour routes to form unique road trip tours that are promoted to customers on the company website. Zijiacn also has a trip planning team in charge of designing, researching and updating products.
Zijiacn aims to offer a one-stop service of car tourism products for middle to upper class enthusiasts globally via multi-channels social marketing including website, Weibo blog, Wechat and app.
Mr. Li said the Zijiacn team has started to research car tours in China and has been developing products and conducting group testing since 2013 in an effort to achieve differentiation, individualization and setting trends. The team comprises 67 members in operations, tech and finance departments, and 70% of them are in their twenties. In the future, Zijiacn will develop even more variety, detail and localization in its products to improve quality ground transport products for customers.
Zijiacn takes a 10% information management fee from each car touring group, while the remainder of earnings goes to the trip leader. Zijiacn is also forming business partnerships with third-party groups and suppliers and plans to open nine operation centers to manage 3,000 stores. (Translation by David)
