Last year, BnbSitter, a Parisian startup that offers on-demand concierge for hosts of short-term rentals on Airbnb and other platforms, landed more than $450,000 in seed funding.
Now the company has secured $2.5 million (Euro 2.2 million) in Series A funding. Participating in the round were Frederic Mazzella, founder of ride-sharing company BlaBlaCar, and French venture capital firm CapDecisif Management.
Bnbsitter told Tnooz that the main part of round was equity investment but that it also benefited from prize funding via a Bpifrance award.
The 20-employee startup said it leads the market in France and that "it is active in 13 European cities, including Cannes, Nice, Barcelona, Rome, and Milan."
Founded in 2013, the company claims to have helped nearly 4,000 owners host more than 50,000 travelers. Its team of more than 300 concierges handle tasks like guest check-in and housekeeping.
Before the end of the year, it plans to open an office in London. It also hopes to launch a mobile app to help hosts order concierges on the fly.
Bnbsitter is one of a host of services that have sprung up to support the short-term rental sector. Others include GuestHop, Guesty, and Pillow.
See the company's Startup Pitch.