SWiiFT
Our Mission
A platform for travelers to connect.
SWiiFT was founded in 2020, with the belief that connections are the key to incredible experiences abroad.
Our Story
Meet the team that makes SWiiFT what it is today.
Max Monange
Position at SWiiFT: CEO
Favorite City: Berlin
“Wherever I travel now, the odds are that I will have a couple of friends to take me out, show me around and have fun with. I rarely have to deep-plan my trips anymore. I just know I’ll have truly authentic experiences and lots of fun because I’ll be with my local friends. Our goal at SWiiFT is to give every traveler the opportunity to experience new destinations in that same manner.”
John Thompson
Position at SWiiFT: CFO
Favorite City: Granada
“I want SWiiFT to be completely integrated into how we travel. Right now the world is getting more and more connected and yet seems farther apart than ever. With SWiiFT we want everyone to feel MORE connected and really make a deep connection with the communities they travel to. My favorite travel memories are all around experiences WITH others, especially chance encounters. SWiiFT can make these "chance" encounters happen more easily.”
Aayushi Sanghi
Position at SWiiFT: Tech Lead
Favorite City: Queenstown
"My long-term vision for SWiiFT is that it will revolutionise the way we travel, and allow us to build authentic connections wherever we go!"
Jasmine King
Position at SWiiFT: Social Media Manager
Favorite City: Seoul
"My vision for SWiiFT is that it will become the new wave of travel for all different types of adventurous travelers that are limited on friends in a city. I met Max in an Entrepreneurship class and was blown away by his pitch; I instantly connected with his vision for SWiiFT based on our shared love for travel. Since being involved in the very early iterative stages of SWiiFT, I'm honored to be a part of this developmental process and look forward to seeing the fruits of our labor."
Dasha Isaeva
Position at SWiiFT: Psychology Lead
Favorite City: Barcelona
"My vision for SWiiFT is to form a global community of genuine connections between locals and travelers, with the goal of transforming the way we travel. I myself am an avid traveler with a love for spontaneity and adventure, and relate to the missing gap in the travel market that SWiiFT aims to fill. Max and I did our undergraduate degrees together at King's College London, where SWiiFT was first born. Central to SWiiFT is compatibility matching based on psychological theory, an area within my expertise."
Samuel Ruiperez-Campillo
Position at SWiiFT: Europe Ambassador
Favorite City: Zurich
"For me, SWiiFT is that app that fills the gap that most of us have when trying to get a real cultural immersion in a new city. Having moved to a different country 7 times in the last 7 years, I have experienced what beginning a new life is like, and how hard it may be to meet valuable people. On the other hand, I have experienced how beautiful it is to learn and grow with a broader perspective and variegated people and cultures. This inspired me to support SWiiFT from the beginning with Max and Jaz at Berkeley, and now with a fabulous growing team. Let's redesign the way we travel together!"
Michelle Gantos
Position at SWiiFT: UI/UX Designer
Favorite City: Boston, MA
"I spent one week living with a family in the Belize rainforest. When a spider the size of my head - black and all kinds of technicolor - crawled across the floor of our wooden hut, my host dad called it a "creepy crawly." I hope you too come to love the creepy crawly in any city with the endearment only a local could share."
Teo Gumusoglu
Position at SWiiFT: Partnership Lead
Favorite City: Istanbul
"I believe the best travel memories are always made with others - for me this has certainly been true. Sometimes these memories have been with complete strangers I met at a hostel rooftop bar, on a free walking tour or even in a Turkish Hammam. Utilizing SWiiFT, we will more consistently and organically re-create these sorts of magical moments that lead to lifelong memories."
