Cavago, the world's first platform created for the horse world by horse lovers, is the latest member to join Hartpury’s Tech Box Park – a facility dedicated to enabling the growth of businesses looking to develop new or existing products for the agri-tech sector.
The Cavago website and app-based booking platform connects riders of all abilities to equestrian adventures, horse breeds, and experiences across the world. From ranch horseback riding in Mexico to beach rides against a Dubai skyline and even falconry on horseback in Dartmoor; the platform currently hosts 400 horse facilities in over 40 countries.
With more than 60 million horses around the world, 500 different breeds and 120 different disciplines associated with them, Cavago’s aim is to become the go-to platform for the equine sector – the ‘Booking.com for the horse world’.
Originally from Saudi Arabia with an innate love of horses, particularly Arabian horses, CEO and Founder of Cavago, Tauseef Qadri said:
“In the USA alone, the horse industry has a greater economic impact than motion pictures – it’s extraordinary! To date, we have secured over a million dollars in bums on saddles, but we want to scale that dramatically.
“Our goal is to get every single equine business large and small to come onto the platform – and we want to build that business in the UK with Hartpury.”
The technology company with a new Head Office in the heart of Warwickshire started in 2019 and launched in early 2022 after the pandemic, born out of Tauseef’s international experiences as an avid equestrian.
Tauseef, who studied at Loughborough University, SOAS - University London, and MIT, USA continued: “I built the code on a model like Airbnb and tested it during the Covid-19 pandemic. We almost went under before we got started but raised funding from angels and friends to help us gain momentum. Where we are today is remarkable – I am so proud of our journey so far, but we’re just getting started.”
Tauseef reflected: “I had attended equine events at Hartpury and knew of its reputation – uncontested in terms of quality for education in the horse world. From our first meeting at the Tech Box Park, we hit it off instantly.
“As we continue to scale the business to promote the diverse range of equine facilities and businesses across Gloucestershire, I feel like we are sitting on an incredible opportunity with the chance to hold hands and grow our UK business together as part of Hartpury.”
Catherine Briggs, Tech Box Park Centre Manager, said: “We are thrilled to welcome the Cavago team to the Hartpury Tech Box Park and celebrate the global culture of horses with them. We look forward to supporting them on their growth journey as they seek to solve a genuine challenge for the horse industry.”
Hartpury’s Tech Box Park facility funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the GFirst LEP ‘Getting Building Fund’ and the Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust is dedicated to enabling the growth of innovative local businesses looking to develop new or existing products and accelerate them into the agri-tech market.
