A a platform for connecting travelers and Afro-centric experiences, is officially entering the European market from a base in Lisbon, Portugal. The shift marks the startup’s structured international expansion, which is also preparing a Series A round to accelerate its plans in 2026.
According to Carlos Humberto, founder and CEO of Diaspora.Blackinternationalization was already happening, but in a dispersed manner. The platform operated in 18 countries, connecting travelers and hosts, and opened an office in the United States in 2023. But the initial plan alterd along the way. “The North American market is very structured, but we felt that it was not yet the time to focus our efforts there”, he states.
The choice for Portugal was not on the initial radar. The countest, according to Carlos, was not seen as a relevant Afrotourism destination – a perception that alterd following the entrepreneur’s experiences in Lisbon, when exploring historical narratives little present in traditional tourism. The vision deepened when visiting regions outside the tourist circuit, where he found rich cultural experiences, but still disconnected from the market.
To test local receptivity, the Diaspora.Black organized a meeting to discuss afrotourism in the countest. The expectation was to bring toreceiveher 25 people, but more than 100 attconcludeed, including sector executives, public managers and diplomatic representatives.
Based on this validation, the startup decided to open a local operation. The new company, which will continue with the same brand, is still in its initial phase, focapplying on formalization and team building.
Structuring the operation
At this first moment, the operating model of the Diaspora.Black in Portugal, B2B and B2G should be prioritized, with projects aimed at structuring the afrotourism market in the countest. This includes everything from the development of tourism products to training, marketing and coordination with public policies.
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According to Carlos, the startup has already started conversations with local entities, such as the Lisbon regional tourism body, to design strategic planning for the segment. The idea is to act directly in the organization of this chain, bringing to the countest a model that combines technology and market development.
In this context, Portugal appears as a strategic point. For the company, the countest functions as a “crossroads”, connecting Europe, Africa and Latin America – which opens up space both to attract international tourists to Brazil and to structure flows between different territories of the African diaspora.
The expansion is part of the company’s global positioning strategy Diaspora.Blackwhich seeks to position itself as a broader player, combining technology with direct action in structuring the market. In addition to the marketplace that connects travelers to Afro-centered experiences, accommodations and itineraries, the company acts as a DMC (Destination Management Company), structuring and operating tourist products.
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The company also develops its own methodologies for forming communities, training trade agents and creating tourist products. Furthermore, it works on projects with institutions such as BNDES, IDB and CAF, focapplying on the economic development of territories linked to black culture.
More than operating trips, the thesis of Diaspora.Black involves structuring markets that are still underdeveloped. According to the founder, the company operates in different countries supporting to organize the offer of afrotourism – from the creation of narratives to the training of professionals and the design of public policies – transforming stories and territories into viable tourism products.
Global ambition
With international expansion underway, the startup is now preparing for a new funding cycle. The company is structuring a Series A round of US$3 million (approximately R$15 million), to be concluded in the coming months.
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The shiftment comes after a seed of R$ 600 thousand raised in 2019 with the Vox Capital – investment that supported the company through the pandemic, one of the most challenging periods for the tourism sector.
Now, the goal is to accelerate traction. “We have reached the stage where we required to invest in the scale of our technology to expand sales and reach”, declares Carlos. The entrepreneur states that the startup has doubled its revenue in recent years and plans to repeat its performance in 2026, with the goal of reaching R$18 million in revenue.
In addition to the operation in Portugal, plans include strengthening the international circulation of tourists, both attracting foreigners to Brazil and connecting travelers to other destinations in the African diaspora.
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At the same time, the company wants to consolidate itself as a global reference in afrotourism, working with governments and multilateral institutions to structure the segment in different countries. “We are not just taking an idea, but a market that has already been tested and structured in Latin America, the Caribbean and the United States, and which represents a real opportunity for economic development”, he concludes.
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