Notre Dame startup aims to provide vacations for healthcare workers
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — A University of Notre Dame startup is looking to help healthcare workers and first responders get some rest and relaxation following the COVID-19 pandemic. The university says South Bend-based Tradelasts is pivoting its business model to match vacation homeowners with medical personnel to provide a free vacation stay once the crisis has ended.
Tradelasts was founded by Notre Dame graduate Pier White. The company is a membership-based vacation service where participants offer the use of their homes and vacation homes in exchange for points that can be used to stay at another member’s home on their own vacation.
The IDEA Center at Notre Dame says the business for Tradelasts came to a “grinding halt” as a result of the pandemic.
“We were in the process of working with investors, recruiting members, building out our tech platform and beginning to launch initial marketing efforts, when the nation and the travel industry shut down,” said White. “Not a good time to launch a travel-oriented business.”
White is also a regional director for development at Notre Dame. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force, White says he got the idea to assist healthcare workers after seeing the difficulties veterans have faced when returning home after traumatic experiences overseas.
“Our healthcare workers are now under the same kind of life and death trauma as our military personnel and their mental health and family lives are at risk. When this is over, it’s going to be tough for them to get back to normal. A free vacation where they can escape to a beautiful place and relax with family is a great way to start the personal healing process. Tradelasts is positioned to make this happen.”
Tradelasts is seeking vacation homeowners who wish to donate time in their homes, even if they aren’t a member. The company is also encouraging the public to nominate medical personnel for vacations, in addition to medical personnel themselves being able to sign up for a free vacation.
“There are many people hurting right now because of the medical and economic fallout from the pandemic. As a society we need a lot of healing and helping our healthcare heroes heal from this crisis is something we can rally around,” said White. “Every little bit helps.”
You can learn more about the effort by clicking here.