Localbird: Israeli AI Concierge Startup With a $7.4M Seed

Localbird, an Israeli travel-tech startup founded by Ben Levy and his brother, raised a $7.4 million seed round on November 18, 2025 to expand an AI concierge for short-term rentals. The round was led by Ibex Investors, with State of Mind Ventures and angel investors. As of that announcement, Localbird said it operates in 45 destinations across the United States and Latin America and connects more than 10,000 properties. Olam found no later funding round.

Last updated: October 31, 2026

What does Localbird do?

Localbird gives each short-term rental property a digital concierge that guests can use to book local services and experiences. According to Calcalist, the concierge is trained on local data, property details, guest preferences and the host's own knowledge. It can recommend activities, coordinate scheduling, ask clarifying questions and handle routine changes, while more complex requests go to a human concierge.

The model is a hybrid of AI and people, and hosts earn money from it. The company shares commissions on every guest booking made through the platform, and says its partners already earn several hundred dollars in extra income per month. Localbird describes this as an infrastructure layer for local commerce, aimed at property managers who want to offer curated, bookable services.

Who founded Localbird?

Localbird was founded in 2023 by brothers who immigrated to Israel as lone soldiers, and Ben Levy is the CEO and co-founder. Calcalist names his brother as Joseph, while the startup data site Dealroom names him Or. Olam could not resolve the difference from the sources reviewed, so the brother is not named in the headline.

The idea came from a family trip to Hawaii, according to Calcalist. The brothers struggled to find basic activity rentals and ended up flipping through a binder of outdated flyers, which became the seed for a product that blends AI automation with human expertise. Levy said hosts sit on a goldmine of local knowledge but have lacked an easy digital way to share and monetize it. The company is based in Herzliya, according to Dealroom and Tracxn.

How much has Localbird raised, and from whom?

Localbird has raised $7.4 million in total, all in its seed round announced in November 2025. The investors named in the sources are listed below.

Round	Date	Amount	Investors named
Seed	November 18, 2025	$7.4 million	Ibex Investors (lead), State of Mind Ventures, and angels including Elad Kushnir and Tal Shoham

The angels include executives behind some of Israel's most successful travel-tech and consumer companies, according to Ynet. The company said it would use the capital to deepen its expansion in the US and Latin America, where it sees demand for ways to streamline and monetize the guest experience. Olam found no later funding round in the sources reviewed. For how this compares with the wider market, see Israeli startup funding mega-rounds and the Israeli VC Fund Directory.

How big is Localbird?

Localbird reported about 30 employees split between Israel and Latin America in November 2025, with plans to double headcount in 2026 across product, engineering, marketing, finance and sales. Tracxn lists 59 employees as of June 30, 2026, which would match that plan, though Olam could not verify the figure independently.

The platform operated in 45 destinations, with more than 10,000 properties and 1,000 vetted suppliers connected to it, according to the company's November 2025 seed announcement, so these counts are about a year old. The founders also said growth quadrupled year over year, a company-reported figure that has not been independently verified. Calcalist places the short-term rental market at roughly 840 million travelers a year.

How did the founders build it during the war?

The brothers built Localbird during a period of war and long reserve duty, and say they logged hundreds of days in uniform while the company grew. They managed the business remotely, while teams in Israel and Latin America kept operations running. According to the founders, focusing on cash flow, customer revenue and efficient expansion helped them close the round despite the disruption.

Where does Localbird fit in Israeli travel tech?

Localbird sits alongside other Israeli travel companies building for foreign markets rather than the home market. Another example is the insurance platform covered in Olam's profile of Faye and its $50 million Series C. Olam covers the wider field of company builders in its hub for Israeli founders and companies and tracks deal flow in Venture and Exits.

Localbird's customers and suppliers are largely outside Israel, which makes it a good example of an Israeli startup whose revenue depends on US and Latin American vacation-rental demand. Another AI-first Israeli startup is covered in Brandlight's $30M Series A.

What is still unverified?

Four details need confirmation before readers rely on them.

The brother's name, which Calcalist gives as Joseph and Dealroom as Or.
The founding year, given as 2023 by Calcalist and Dealroom but 2022 by Tracxn.
The current headcount, since the 59 figure comes from a data aggregator.
The growth rate, which is the founders' own statement.

בעברית

Localbird היא חברת טראוול-טק ישראלית שהוקמה ב-2023 על ידי בן לוי ואחיו, שעלו לישראל כחיילים בודדים. החברה גייסה סבב סיד של 7.4 מיליון דולר בנובמבר 2025 בהובלת Ibex Investors, ובנתה פלטפורמת קונסיירז' מבוססת בינה מלאכותית ואנשים לדירות נופש. לפי החברה, נכון להודעת הגיוס היא פועלת ב-45 יעדים בארצות הברית ובאמריקה הלטינית, ומחברת יותר מ-10,000 נכסים. נתוני הצמיחה הם של החברה ולא אומתו באופן עצמאי.

Frequently asked questions

What is Localbird?

An Israeli travel-tech startup with an AI and human concierge platform that lets short-term rental hosts sell local services and experiences.

Who founded Localbird?

Brothers who immigrated to Israel as lone soldiers, led by CEO Ben Levy. The brother's name differs between sources.

How much did Localbird raise?

$7.4 million in a seed round announced November 18, 2025, led by Ibex Investors.

Where does Localbird operate?

In 45 destinations across the United States and Latin America as of its November 2025 announcement, according to the company. It is based in Herzliya, Israel.