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HomeAway has raised $466.0M across 4 funding rounds.
Key people at HomeAway.
HomeAway has raised $466.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
HomeAway, based in Austin, Texas, operates an online marketplace connecting travelers with vacation rental owners worldwide, providing tools for owners to advertise and manage bookings while enabling users to find properties easily as alternatives to hotels. The platform consolidated listings from a fragmented industry, growing to over 1 million properties across 190 countries and employing 1,900 individuals globally by 2014. HomeAway secured nearly $405 million in private funding before its early 2011 IPO, which raised $216 million at a valuation exceeding $2 billion and a post-IPO market capitalization of $2.8 billion. The company, known for its extensive network, was subsequently acquired by Expedia for $3.9 billion around 2015. HomeAway was founded in February 2005 by Brian Sharples and Carl Shepherd.
HomeAway has raised $466.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
HomeAway's investors include IVP, Redpoint eventures, TCV, Trinity Ventures.
Key people at HomeAway.
HomeAway is a technology company that built an online marketplace for vacation rentals, enabling property owners and managers to list homes and handle bookings while serving travelers seeking alternatives to hotels.[1][2][3] It offered more space, privacy, and cost savings compared to traditional stays, operating over 50 sites in 23 languages across 190 countries with more than 1.2 million listings.[2][3] Founded in 2005 in Austin, Texas, HomeAway raised $495.5M, went public in 2011, and was acquired by Expedia Group in 2015 for $3.9B; by 2020, its sites including VRBO were rebranded into a single Vrbo platform.[1][3]
HomeAway traces its roots to 2004 when it started as CEH Holdings, co-founded by Brian Sharples (previously President and CEO of travel search engine SideStep) and Carl Shepherd.[3][4] The idea emerged from consolidating fragmented vacation rental sites; they launched HomeAway.com in June 2006 after acquiring at least 11 properties like VRBO, VacationRentals.com, Abritel.fr, and OwnersDirect.co.uk, rapidly scaling to industry leadership.[1][2][3] Early traction came via aggressive funding, including a landmark $250M round in 2008 led by Technology Crossover Ventures (with IVP, Redpoint Ventures, and others), valuing it at ~$1.15B pre-money—the largest U.S. internet minority investment in years—and enabling global expansion.[1][3]
HomeAway rode the sharing economy and online travel disruption wave in the mid-2000s, capitalizing on internet growth to fragment the hotel-dominated market with peer-to-peer rentals.[1][3] Timing was ideal post-2004 acquisitions boom, as broadband and mobile enabled global listings; it influenced hospitality by proving marketplaces could scale alternatives like VRBO, paving the way for Airbnb's rise and Expedia's pivot to experiences.[1][2][3] Market forces favoring it included rising demand for unique, economical stays amid economic recovery, with its $3.9B Expedia acquisition underscoring validation in a sector now worth billions.[1][3]
Post-2015 Expedia acquisition and 2020 Vrbo rebrand, HomeAway's legacy endures as the blueprint for vacation rental platforms, now integrated into Expedia's ecosystem amid booming post-pandemic travel.[1][3] Trends like AI-driven personalization, sustainable stays, and direct-booking tech will shape Vrbo's path, potentially expanding into experiences or long-term rentals. Its influence evolves from pioneer to foundational asset, powering Expedia's dominance—watch for deeper tech integrations to sustain momentum in a competitive, experience-focused market.[1][2][3]
HomeAway has raised $466.0M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $250.0M Series D in November 2008.
| Date | Company | Round | Lead Investor(s) | Co-Investor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2014 | Gogobot | $20.0M Series C | Brian Sharples | Battery Ventures, DFJ, Greylock, Hanabi Capital, Index Ventures, IVP, Redpoint Ventures, Sutter Hill Ventures, SV Angel, Transmedia Capital, Brad Garlinghouse, Redpoint Ventures |
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2008 | $250.0M Series D | IVP, Redpoint eventures, TCV, Trinity Ventures | |
| Jun 1, 2007 | $7.0M Series C | Redpoint eventures | |
| Nov 1, 2006 | $160.0M Series B | IVP, Redpoint eventures, Trinity Ventures | |
| Jan 1, 2005 | $49.0M Series A | Redpoint eventures |