Luxury vacation rental and trip management service Inspirato has secured a further $11 million round of funding.
The company launched in February 2011 [TLabs Showcase - Inspirato] with an initial $5 million warchest, but has taken on the further funds though a slightly unconventional route for a modern US-based tech startup: around 50 people have pumped in further cash (an average of around $200,000 per person) as individuals rather than through their investment firms.
The investment comes as Inspirato claims $4 million in sales in just three months, adding 100 new members a month, all of which pay a one-time, non-returnable fee of $15,000 to get access to the site's inventory of 40 luxury residences in 12 of the world's upmarket beach, mountain and city destinations.
Founder and CEO Brent Handler claims the Inspirato model is "highly disruptive" in the luxury travel sector, signalled by the "extraordinary level of commitment" from investors.