Triptimize: How Michael Melichar Is Reinventing Trip Planning With AI

(After Planning His Own Escape)

When Michael Melichar booked a solo trip to Japan in late 2023, he wasn’t just escaping the job market — he was unknowingly stepping into his next startup idea.

Michael had just graduated into a brutal tech economy. Despite strong retail experience and self-taught coding chops, doors weren’t opening. So he did what many dream of but few actually do: he packed a bag, booked some hostels, and traveled halfway across the world.

That trip — and the frustrations of planning it — inspired Triptimize, a mobile-first app that helps travelers build custom itineraries based on real preferences, without needing to chat with an AI or wade through 50 browser tabs.