Boris Pavlov ’10 Transforms Travel

In his home country of Bulgaria, Pavlov obtained a double American/Bulgarian high school diploma from the American College of Sofia. Tempted by the challenge of living in a place where he did not speak the language, Pavlov applied to AUP and moved to Paris sight unseen. "Going to AUP was by far one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life," he says. While double majoring in international economics and applied international finance, Pavlov built close friendships with students from around the world, forging a global network that would become central to his life and career. “You can make friends and connections in a lot of places. But that deep cultural understanding and awareness—I don't think you can get it from many other universities,” he says. “AUP taught me that it doesn’t matter where a person comes from—it’s about who they’ve grown to be.” Pavlov also served as captain of AUP’s competitive volleyball team, and would later return as a volunteer coach, leading the team to international tournaments.

After AUP, Pavlov embarked on a kaleidoscope of global educational and professional pursuits. He moved to Nice where he continued his finance studies with a master’s degree from EDHEC Business School before taking a position at Société Générale. Next, he transferred to New York City and spent two years on the trading floor before heading to London. Along the way, he earned a law degree, furthering a long-standing interest in politics. Eventually, restless in the finance sector and curious about entrepreneurship, Pavlov quit his job and returned to Bulgaria to start his own venture.

The transition sparked his first idea for a business opportunity. Though he had moved to Bulgaria, he was still tied to a costly long-term lease on his London apartment. A property manager took it over and rented the flat out on Airbnb. Observing the lack of similar services in Bulgaria, Pavlov launched Flat Manager as a one-man operation, handling everything from the website and branding to the cleaning and key exchanges. “It was super tough because it's a 24/7 business,” he says.

Over time, he built a team, retaining employees through COVID and expanding into Bucharest. With an angel investor—a friend from AUP—Flat Manager grew to handle 600 properties across Bulgaria and Romania. Pavlov recently sold the company to one of Europe’s largest private equity firms, marking the first acquisition of a property tech startup from Bulgaria.

Pavlov’s enterprising mindset also extends to public service. In 2022, when Russia’s invasion sent Ukrainians fleeing into Bulgaria, Pavlov paused his own work for three months and partnered with the Bulgarian government and volunteer IT professionals to swiftly build an online resource platform for refugees. The site provided vital information on accommodation, jobs, paperwork, and social and children’s services. The team also set up a three-language call center in a matter of ten days. Bulgaria was one of the first countries to offer this kind of support, and to date, hundreds of thousands of refugees have accessed the program. For Pavlov, this was not just another project. “You're not building a business here… you’re building something that helps people, and they need it yesterday.”

Now, Pavlov has his sights set on disrupting the $100 billion-and-growing travel industry, which he sees as ripe for change. Launching in October 2024, Flataway is an international booking platform that stands apart from major OTAs like Airbnb by adopting a decentralized model, allowing property managers to maintain direct relationships with guests, fostering loyalty and repeat business. Unlike Airbnb, Flataway enables property managers to earn commissions when travelers book through the platform and features only high-quality, professionally managed properties at lower, discounted rates. Additionally, Flataway will reinvest part of its revenue into community initiatives, adding a social impact dimension to the business.

Pavlov describes Flataway as “the dream.” He shares, “I’ve always believed in aiming not just higher—but the highest.” As AI reshapes the travel industry, Pavlov is ever more eager to keep innovating. His approach to personal travel is equally enterprising and spontaneous. He once took a trip from New York to Singapore that ended up including unplanned stopovers in Bali and Dubai before heading home. For Pavlov, travel goes beyond business; it is an essential part of living. “We will never lose the need for travel and to discover new things,” he insists, citing the adage that travel is the only thing you pay for that makes you wealthier—and standing by it.