Onto raises $1 million pre-seed to refund hotel price drops
The Bengaluru traveltech startup, founded by two former Groww professionals, has launched its first product alongside the funding.
The 30-second read
- Onto has launched, and Stargazer Fund headed its $1 million pre-seed round.
- Its first product, Price Drop Refund, returns the difference if a hotel price falls after booking.
- The founders, both ex-Groww, plan to go beyond hotels and add AI features.
Onto, a Bengaluru-based traveltech startup, has launched and raised $1 million in a pre-seed round. Stargazer Fund led the round, and White Venture Capital came in as co-lead. Entrackr first reported that the company was founded in June 2026.
Its first product is Price Drop Refund. If the price of a hotel booking falls after you reserve, Onto automatically refunds the difference. This also covers eligible bookings made on other platforms. Indian Startup News first reported that refunds depend on a lower-priced room being available and on the cancellation terms. Non-refundable reservations are excluded. Refunds go to the original payment method, with updates on WhatsApp and in the app.
Onto was founded by Jagdeep Singh and Shubham Goyal, both co-founders and former Groww professionals. Singh said: "We started Onto to be the platform that stays on your side after you book." The app had more than 2,000 downloads before launch. Early booking data showed price changes on nearly all bookings, but the company did not say how many reservations it looked at.
The money will go towards scaling operations, strengthening technology infrastructure and building new products. Onto also plans to expand beyond hotels and build AI features that give personalised recommendations with explanations.
Why it matters
Indian travellers booking hotels at home or abroad may get money back when prices fall after booking, even if they booked elsewhere. It also shows investors backing a startup focused on post-booking service.