GrinGO is a leading travel and safety app dedicated to enhancing cross-border experiences for United States travelers into Mexico. Through strategic partnerships and innovative solutions, the GrinGO app provides essential tools and resources for borderless travel, cultural engagement and safety awareness. Key features include auto insurance for Mexico, real-time travel alerts, curated tourism content, emergency assistance resources and direct integrations with government agencies.
“While working in the Arizona Governor’s Office at the Arizona-Mexico Commission and traveling frequently between the U.S. and Mexico, I saw firsthand how outdated and fragmented cross-border travel services were — especially in areas like auto insurance, emergency support and safety communication,” says GrinGO CEO Brian Krupski. “I realized there was a need for a modern, mobile-first platform that could make travel safer and more seamless for Americans going into Mexico.” He founded the company in March 2019.
One of Krupski’s biggest challenges was building trust — both with users and with government agencies in Mexico. Addressing this, he focused on building partnerships with credible institutions such as SECTUR (Mexico’s Tourism Secretariat) and the Ángeles Verdes.
Another challenge he dealt with was navigating the regulatory and cultural differences between the U.S. and Mexico. Says Krupski, “My bilingual and multicultural background helped immensely, allowing me to communicate effectively and build lasting relationships on both sides of the border.”
Taking to heart the advice to “dive in without hesitation (or you will never start your company) and build something that solves a real problem — and then prove it can scale,” Krupski started with one very specific problem (Mexico auto insurance), validated the market need, and expanded GrinGO’s offerings only after building user trust and agency partnerships. “It’s easy to try to do too much at once; that advice helped me stay focused and strategic,” he shares.
In addition to its digital platform, GrinGO operates a network of destination marketing websites and event production that promotes Mexico tourism and culture. By curating unique travel content, producing culinary and cultural events and partnering with government tourism agencies, GrinGO brings the richness of Mexico’s destinations to life for U.S. travelers.
Are Government Policies for Our Southern Border Impacting Tourism — and GrinGO?
“Yes,” says Krupski. “Border policies under recent administrations have had a direct impact on cross-border tourism — and, in turn, on GrinGO’s business. Under the Biden Administration, changes to migrant policy created instability at the border, making land crossings feel less safe for many U.S. travelers. As a result, we saw a significant decline in Americans driving into Mexico, particularly to popular destinations like Puerto Peñasco, which negatively affected our core business in Mexico: auto insurance.”
Krupski notes that, while border enforcement was stronger under the Trump Administration, uncertainty stemming from new documentation — Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM) — requirements imposed by the incoming Mexican government in response to U.S. policy changes caused confusion among travelers. “That led to misinformation and hesitancy, which also disrupted cross-border travel and tourism,” he says.
“During that period, travelers often chose to fly over the border to beach destinations rather than drive through ports of entry. At the same time, this shift created increased demand for GrinGO’s GPS-enabled safety advisories and real-time alerts about migrant movement and other travel-related risks near the border. Our GrinGO app’s ability to provide accurate, bilingual safety information became one of our most valuable tools for users seeking to make informed decisions.”
Krupski has found tourism also grew to inland Mexican destinations like Mexico City, Monterrey, San Miguel de Allende and Guadalajara — locations that he points out are less affected by border conditions. “We’ve adapted by expanding our content and services to meet this evolving demand,” he says.
Did You Know: GrinGO recently launched www.MexicoTravelSafe.com in partnership with SECTUR and the Arizona Chapter National Safety Council.
