An exclusive conversation with Alexandra Papadopoulos, founder of Velada
In this episode of the Founder Spotlight Podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Alexandra Papadopoulos, founder of Velada. Velada is transforming the way we experience dining by leveraging AI to deliver curated, personalized restaurant recommendations. In a world where dining decisions can feel overwhelming, Alexandra and her team have created a solution that simplifies the process and enhances the joy of dining out.
Why does this story matter? Because Velada is not just another restaurant app—it’s a game-changer catering to busy professionals who crave dining experiences tailored to their unique tastes. Let’s dive into Alexandra’s inspiring journey, the challenges she faced, and what makes Velada stand out in the crowded restaurant-tech space.
The idea for Velada was born out of a common frustration that many of us share—spending countless hours trying to decide where to eat. Alexandra, along with her two co-founders, found themselves grappling with this problem despite their love for food, restaurants, and culinary content. This led them to ask a fundamental question: “Why isn’t there a tool that combines curated content with an intuitive, personalized booking experience?”
Alexandra explained, “We love consuming restaurant content, whether it’s influencer recommendations, reviews, or guides. But when it came to making dinner plans, there was no single solution that offered both curation and easy booking.”
This sparked the creation of Velada—a restaurant discovery platform with a focus on high-quality content. Over time, inspired by their mission to make dining decisions even more intuitive, they developed their latest innovation: the AI-powered personal dining assistant known as the Navajinius.
As Alexandra candidly shared, the early days of Velada were marked by several challenges, particularly in positioning the platform. “We had to figure out how to stand out between premium products like the Michelin Guide and broader platforms like TripAdvisor,” she noted. Balancing premium curation with user accessibility proved to be tricky.
Her team’s strategy? Trial, error, and relentless conversations with users.
One of the biggest lessons for Velada came during the launch of a previous iteration of their product. Alexandra admitted, “We tried to pack in too many features, which confused users and diluted our core offering.”
"We realized that in our effort to offer everything, we were failing to communicate what was truly valuable. Simplifying the product was a game-changer." – Alexandra Papadopoulos
By slimming down their offering and focusing on features that truly mattered to users, Velada experienced increased user adoption and engagement.
Velada’s mission is simple yet impactful: to help diners discover and book restaurants effortlessly, while enhancing their overall dining experiences. Their star product, the Navajinius, is an AI-powered personal dining assistant designed for busy professionals.
What makes the Navajinius unique?
Alexandra shared her ambitious vision for the future: “While we’re focusing on restaurants today, we envision Velada growing into a personal lifestyle assistant, helping users with travel, shopping, and more—all while maintaining the same level of curation and personalization we’re delivering now.”
Alexandra credits much of Velada’s success to the dynamic synergy within her founding team. While her background is in strategy and marketing, her co-founders bring deep technical expertise. This complementary skill set allowed them to build and iterate the product efficiently.
When it comes to leadership, Alexandra advocates for fostering user-centric innovation and building a robust network. “Having a strong founder community around you is invaluable,” she emphasized. By staying connected with other entrepreneurs, Alexandra and her team have been able to share insights, challenges, and solutions in real time.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Alexandra offers this key piece of advice: “Build a network of trusted founders you can lean on.”
Her personal takeaway? “The best learning often comes from talking to users and listening to what they truly need.”
Velada’s journey is just beginning. While their focus remains on transforming dining experiences, Alexandra and her team have grander aspirations. They aim to expand Velada into a broader lifestyle assistant, offering recommendations not just for restaurants but also for travel, shopping, and other experiences.
“We want Velada to be your go-to assistant for all aspects of your social life,” Alexandra said. With their commitment to curation, personalization, and quality, the future of Velada looks brighter than ever.
If you’re in New York City, don’t miss the opportunity to try the Navajinius for free! Velada is currently running a beta program with a lifetime free access offer for early sign-ups. Visit velada.app to join the waitlist.
For more inspiring stories and entrepreneurial insights, check out the full episode of the Founder Spotlight Podcast. Stay tuned for more conversations with the changemakers shaping our future.
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