WeSpeak, as defined by its founders, is a scale-up dedicated to technology-led solutions development artificial intelligence For the tourist accommodation sector, including hotels, Hostels and hotel chains.
Paying attention to market needs, Gonzalo Rioja, Agustin Albeiro and Santiago Esmores gave life to the first AI assistant that works as a conversational sales system. This assistant sells directly through messaging channels such as WhatsApp and Instagram, and is able to understand jargon and voice messages, decode images and communicate as a person.
The way customers book direct has changed in the past decade. In 2018, email and phone fielded 95% of inquiries and bookings, while channels like WhatsApp barely covered 5%. However, “non-traditional” communication channels increased their share to represent 25% of direct bookings in 2024, and is expected to reach 45% by 2026.
This shift has generated challenges for the hotel industry, with 1 in 4 reservations being lost due to not receiving a timely response. Faced with this situation, Gonzalo Rioja, Agustín and Santiago decided to take action.
according to iProfessional Rioja, the company’s current CEO, had a previous career away from tourism and technology: “I realized my entrepreneurial spirit a few years ago. Previously, I had studied engineering at the University of La Plata, and away from technology and tourism, I worked in the oil fields of Patagonia.”
The road to WeSpeak began when the partners, who are systems engineers, first developed a solution for a hotel and camping complex called Campeak.
The three friends gave life to the first AI assistant that works as a conversational sales system
Later, they moved away from the camps to focus on the hotel sector because its structure offered more opportunities. In 2024, WeSpeak was founded with the goal of “turning potential guests’ conversations into actual bookings.”
Value proposition for hotels
WeSpeak has successfully addressed the needs of the market by developing a virtual assistant that uses advanced artificial intelligence. the solution Accommodation sales are permitted 24 hours a day In all your communication channels.
WeSpeak’s AI-driven conversational sales system is impacting accommodations Three main aspects:
- Increase bookings by up to 50% through communication channels.
- Save up to 90% of time when replying to messages.
- It guarantees 95% customer satisfaction, responding in seconds, adapting to the language (it communicates in more than 70 languages), and maintaining a warm and human touch.
As the founder explains. The platform is not a standardized solution, but is customized to each hotel’s tone of communication, information and goals. The system also allows you to view room rates, exchange foreign currencies, and apply promotions in a few seconds.
Investment, growth and forecasts
The startup has been self-funded since its inception without any outside investment. “We started with no outside investment,” Rojas explains. “WeSpeak was born 100% funded by ourselves and, above all, by our early customers. This meant that from day one we had to create a product that generated real value, because if customers did not choose us, the company simply could not move forward.
More than 500 hotels use WeSpeak, including large chains like Radisson, Holiday Inn, Wyndham and Howard Johnson
“The initial effort meant that for the first year, the three founders worked without pay and lived off our savings: this was our real initial investment,” he continues. “This initial phase of self-financing was essential to building a sustainable company.”
currently, The WeSpeak team has 21 people and operates in more than 20 countries. More than 500 hotels use its solutions, including large chains such as Radisson, Holiday Inn, Wyndham and Howard Johnson. The company processes more than a million conversations per month and supports more than 30 languages.
Regarding the source of growth, the CEO says: “Our growth is a result of the product we make: not only does it respond to specific needs of hotels, but the solution we offer gives them real, tangible benefits that make them trust us.”
WeSpeak shuts down its site Second year of operation with annual sales of US$700,000 Projects that will reach US$2,000,000 by December 2026, which will be driven by international expansion and the integration of new AI functions.
In 2025, the company plans to conclude its second year in the market with a 400% growth in billings year-on-year. Regarding financing plans, Rioja says: “At the moment we have no plans to go out and look for investment rounds: we believe that the path we have chosen – sustainable growth, focus on a niche and a premium product – is what allowed us to get here and what will continue to drive our expansion.”
The company’s operational capacity is designed to scale efficiently, allowing a new hotel to be up and running within hours. Going forward, WeSpeak will continue to advance its global expansion plan and seek to improve its conversation platform through additional layers of automation and revenue management tools.
“WeSpeak was built 100% funded by us and our early customers,” says Rioja.
Current growth is a direct result of the team’s ability to create and deliver value in the product. “Today, we are 21 people and continuing to grow, proud to have come this far thanks to the business, the product and the trust of our customers.”