Waitr founder Chris Meaux is backing a new startup that bills itself as the “Airbnb for sportsmen.”
Hatched from the brains of a handful of college students, Mallard Bay is an online marketplace for guides, outfitters, charter captains and lodging for people looking to book hunting and fishing trips. It was co-founded by recent LSU graduate Logan Meaux—who also happens to be Chris Meaux’s son.
The idea for Mallard Bay began after Logan Meaux, who is a hunter, tried to book a birthday hunting experience in Oklahoma for his father. A lack of communication with the outfitter led to a terrible trip, and what was supposed to be three hunts turned into only one with a group of 12 other people.
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“We had to find a way to improve the booking experience without breaking the personal connection between outfitters and their clients,” says Logan Meaux in a news release.
Logan Meaux teamed up with co-founder Joel Moreau and entered Mallard Bay into the J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge at LSU last year. After placing in the top three, they began building the business, along with fellow co-founders Tam Nguyen and Wyatt Mallett.
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The website came online in November 2021, with initial investments from company board members Chris Meaux, Callais Capital Management Chief Investment Officer Harold “Hal” Callais and Rocky Patel founder Randall “Barton” Howard.
The site allows users to see booking availability and make secure payments for their trips, and Mallard Bay plans to add additional features in the future.
This story originally appeared in a Jan. 10 issue of Daily Report. To keep up with Baton Rouge business and politics, subscribe to the free Daily Report e-newsletter here.