Entrepreneur and former Expedia executive Jeff Warren is embarking on a stealthy new startup project called Closer Mobile, which is said to be operating in the “on-demand services economy.”
Warren, who previously served as vice president of global product, mobile, destination and customer engagement at Expedia, is not saying much about the new startup.
But a recent SEC filing indicated that Closer Mobile raised $325,106, including cash from Bill Gross’ tech incubator Idealab. A source with knowledge of Closer Mobile’s plans says the company is building what amounts to a “Kayak for ride-hailing,” a mobile app designed to peruse and book rides on a variety of transportation services.
Warren has strong connections to the Pasadena, Calif.- based incubator Idealab, previously serving as an “entrepreneur in residence” at the firm earlier this year.
Warren told GeekWire that the company is in stealth mode for the time being, but will be ready to release more details late this year or early next.
Warren is a vet of both Motorola, where he spent four years working in strategy and development, and Expedia. He served in various leadership roles during his four-year stint at Expedia, most recently serving as vice president and head of online marketing for Expedia brands Travelocity and Wotif.
He left that position a year ago to throw his efforts behind Closer.
In 2009, Warren co-founded a startup called Mooi, which was attempting to create an easy way for individuals to share content, news and calendars in a private social network.
Idealab Founder and CEO Bill Gross is also listed on the SEC filing as a director. In addition to founding the incubator, Gross is a serial entrepreneur who has been involved in or founded a variety of startups over his career.
Warren’s LinkedIn profile indicates that Closer Mobile is actively hiring, including open jobs for a cloud architect and iOS and Android Engineers.
