“With a commited team and a culture that prioritises innovation and impact, we make every day an opportunity to keep growing.”
Daniel Ferrer and Angela Bustillos, one from Munich and other from Caracas, are the Co-founders of eXplorins. Together with eXplorins team, they channel the passion for innovation, technology, and sustainability into creating phygital products that connect people with brands. At eXplorins, they have pioneered impactful projects that bridge Tech4Good with experiences in the tourism and experience industry. These initiatives aim to democratice access to new technologies, and integrate it – like blockchain and gamification tools – to create sustainable, human-centered solutions that help businesses increase their revenue and enahnce customer experience.
How did eXplorins start? How has it evolved to the present day?
eXplorins was born with the romantic mission of bringing stories and places closer to people through technology. Our first solution was the eXplorins App, which allowed users to discover the city in an interactive way while monetising the experience to provide local support to foundations and content creators.
Over time, our vision has not changed, it has transformed. We continue to channel our passion for creativity, technology and sustainability to create digital solutions for phygital (on-off) experiences that connect people with brands through experiential marketing. We have made a quantum leap in our technological evolution and in our business model.
Today, eXplorins has its own loyalty SaaS and rewards called PERS (Phygital Experience Rewards System), which fully elevates the concept of phygital experience, and is based on a monthly subscription model, allowing us to offer scalable, accessible and high impact solutions. We continue to develop innovative and disruptive products, but now with a clear focus on usability and impact. The challenges we face in this startup journey have been great learning experiences.
Define the “phygical” concept for a person who does not understand that world.
‘Phygital’ is a combination of “physical” and “digital”, and refers to experiences that blend the two worlds to create something more immersive and interactive.
For example, imagine a brand hosting a live event. Instead of being limited to just the physical experience, attendees can interact with the brand through an app, unlock exclusive content, participate in gamified dynamics, or receive digital rewards for their participation. This not only increases real time engagement, but also extends the experience beyond the event, creating a long-term impact.
Phygital solutions allow you to create deeper connections, transform every touchpoint into an opportunity for meaningful interaction and, most importantly, measure and optimise the business impact of the experience. In a world where consumer attention is increasingly difficult to capture, offering hybrid experiences is not an option, but a necessity to strengthen the relationship with the audience and stand out in the marketplace.
What is your day-to-day like at eXplorins?
What really defines our day-to-day is our work culture. We organise ourselves in 2-week sprints, have a 37.5 hour work week, and every second Friday off to encourage a balance between productivity and wellbeing. In addition, we are a diverse team, with six different nationalities, which enriches our perspective and creativity.
In short, we have long and challenging days, but with a committed team and a culture that prioritises innovation and impact, we make every day an opportunity to keep growing.
Why could eXplorins’ PERS solutions work for any company?
PERS is a multi-channel loyalty and rewards system that allows companies to reward their customers for EVERY action they take, both in the digital and physical (phygital) world. This means that any business, regardless of size or sector, can leverage PERS to increase engagement, strengthen retention and accelerate growth, transforming loyalty into a strategic driver of value.
As an API-first solution, PERS integrates easily into any customer touchpoint: physical stores, e-commerce, social media, mobile apps and even real-world experiences. No matter how or where customers interact with a brand, PERS unifies all of these moments into a single rewards system, allowing companies to maximise their impact and connect more intelligently with their audience.
What is your biggest achievement?
We’ve risen like the Phoenix Bird, and we are absolutely proud and amazed at what we achieved. This accomplishment is embodied by an incredible team, with a disruptive product, a huge community and network that pushes us forward, support from the European Union through the Next Generation Grants for disruptive companies in the traveltech sector, and with awards and recognitions such as being a Certified B Corp company, Biosphere Tourism Sustainability certificates, the Startup Innovation Award 2024 that we received in London this December, and more candidacies and nominations in Catalan, national and international ecosystems.
How do you see eXplorins in 5 years?
At eXplorins we firmly believe that technology is the most powerful driver of cross-cutting impact, driving connectivity, inclusion and sustainable progress. Our goal is to continue developing purposeful digital products within the experience industry, enabling companies to create more meaningful connections with their customers.
Over the next five years, we see eXplorins establishing itself as a benchmark in phygital loyalty, a space where technology and creativity merge to redefine the value of every action. We envision a future where innovation not only benefits brands and consumers, but also impacts hybrid environments, interconnecting the digital, the physical, and the natural worlds.
Life motto
We have several, but the most important one is ALWAYS FORWARD (SIEMPRE PA’LANTE)!
