Max Morganroth is on a mission to redefine how the next generation earns travel rewards. As Co-founder and CEO of Rove, Morganroth is pioneering a shift away from traditional credit-card-dependent point systems with a fresh, inclusive model. His platform enables users to earn airline miles through simple daily actions like online shopping and hotel bookings — no credit card required.
A graduate of Y Combinator’s Winter 2024 batch, Morganroth’s vision is already taking flight.
Launching Rove: A Rewarding Disruption
Founded in 2023, Rove was born from a simple insight: Gen Z wants to travel, but many are left out of elite loyalty programs tied to high-limit credit cards. Rove flips that model on its head by offering a universal airline and hotel loyalty program, allowing users to accumulate and redeem points from everyday spending.
As of May 2025, Rove’s universal miles can be used across 140+ airlines and 200,000 hotels worldwide, thanks to partnerships with major loyalty programs including Air France-KLM, Finnair, Qatar Airways, and Aeromexico.
Milestones and Momentum
- Y Combinator W24: Rove gained momentum as a YC-backed company, securing mentorship and exposure in one of the most competitive startup accelerators globally.
- Funding Success: Rove raised $2 million from top investors including General Catalyst, Soma Capital, and Y Combinator itself.
- Viral Launch: Just two weeks after launch, users began redeeming free flights — some in business class — using miles earned without ever swiping a card.
This early traction confirms what Morganroth set out to prove: with the right model, travel rewards can be democratized.
A Founder with a Personal Mission
Morganroth’s idea stemmed from his own experience hacking credit card points to fund international travel during college. Realizing the gatekeeping built into the current system, he set out to build something more inclusive — a platform where rewards are tied to behavior, not bank balance.
Rove is not just a fintech innovation; it’s a cultural one, tapping into Gen Z’s appetite for travel, transparency, and flexibility.
