Startup Spotlight: From Wall Street to the Wilderness - How Preeti Suri Built Adventure Tripper and Reinvented Adventure Travel

Send us Fan MailWhat happens when a former investment banker turns a life-changing personal experience into a startup? In this episode, Preeti Suri, founder of Adventure Tripper, shares how she built a curated marketplace for multi-day adventure travel—connecting travelers with vetted local guides around the world.Preeti Suri is the Founder and CEO of AdventureTripr, a global adventure and wellness travel marketplace offering curated experiences across 50+ countries. A Chartered Accountant, CPA, and INSEAD MBA, she previously built a career in Big Four firms and investment banking before pivoting to entrepreneurship. Inspired by her own healing journey through the outdoors, she founded AdventureTripr to help people improve their physical, mental, and emotional well-being through movement, nature, and community.Preeti discusses the challenges of launching during COVID, the role of AI in travel planning, and why curation and human expertise still matter in an AI-driven world. She also shares the deeply personal story behind her entrepreneurial journey and the mindset required to build a mission-driven company.In This Episode, You’ll Learn- How Preeti Suri transitioned from consulting and investment banking to founding Adventure Tripper- The gap in the travel industry around curated multi-day adventure experiences- Why curation and vetted local guides matter more than endless search results- How the company pivoted during COVID and expanded from 5 destinations to nearly 50 countries- How AI is changing travel planning—and why human expertise still provides an edge- Adventure Tripper’s marketplace model and why fulfillment and post-trip support are key differentiators- Why the company focuses on a B2B-led growth strategy rather than traditional consumer marketing- Lessons from building a startup as a woman founder—and the mindset needed to overcome obstaclesBrought to you by TiE SeattleHosts: Shirish Nadkarni and Gowri ShankarProducers: Minee Verma and Eesha JainYouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fromstartuptoexitpodcast