From the confines of corporate boardrooms to the digital nomad's sandy beaches, Maxim Surkiz's journey is one of resilience, vision, and relentless innovation. At the crossroads of this journey stands Copilot2trip Tech FZ LTD - a venture destined to redefine travel with technology.

The entrepreneurial spirit in Maxim was evident early on. As the Co-founder & CEO of Dalytics, an analytics service for iconic brands like Philips and Durex, he'd tasted success. And then in 2022, Dalytics was acquired, marking a significant milestone. But it was his time as CPO of an e-commerce startup, which after acquisition by Yandex, grew 100x under his leadership, that the seeds for Copilot2trip were unknowingly sown.

Inspiration can come from personal pain points. For Maxim, a passionate traveler, it was the drudgery of trip planning. The hours lost to crafting the perfect itinerary were hours he would rather spend experiencing a new destination. This personal struggle led to a profound realization: there was a gap in the market, and Maxim was poised to fill it.

Enter Copilot2trip, an AI-powered travel assistant. For the individual, it's a beacon in the maddening maze of trip planning, adjusting in real-time to changing conditions. For businesses in the travel sector, it's a game-changer, a widget that can be seamlessly integrated, enhancing user experience and boosting conversions.

But every startup story has its share of storms. For Maxim and his team, it came in the form of soaring API costs. Then, on the day of their Product Hunt launch, as user interactions peaked, their main developer was deep in slumber. It was a night of frenzied calls, patches, and perhaps a bit too much caffeine. This episode wasn't just about rapid scaling or cost management; it was a lesson in readiness, resilience, and the power of community. It taught Maxim the importance of being ever-prepared for the unpredictable, to sometimes find humor amidst chaos, and the value of shared experiences in forums like Indie Hackers.

Fueled by these learnings, Copilot2trip continues to evolve. Initially, leveraging a mixed B2C model for faster PMF iteration, they're now shifting gears towards a B2B2C approach. This model, Maxim believes, can tap into corporations with travel-related traffic, offering them a potent blend of SaaS and revenue sharing.

Maxim Surkiz, Co-Founder of Copilot2trip

As for the road ahead, Maxim sees a horizon where efficient planning meets heightened conversions. With the travel sector forever evolving, the integration of Copilot2trip's AI assistant in the form of a widget on travel platforms is a bridge to this future.

Maxim's parting wisdom for budding entrepreneurs is grounded in tenacity: "Don't give up," he says, emphasizing the importance of harnessing grants and support measures from larger entities.

Connect with Maxim Surkiz at hi@copilot2trip.com or explore his journey on LinkedIn.