Vacation rental marketing firm Evolve gets $2.7 million in funding

Denver-based Evolve Vacation Rental Network, which serves as an online marketer for professionally managed vacation rentals, picked up $2.7 million in funding in a Series A round, from undisclosed investors.

Robert Mylod, a former CFO and head of worldwide strategy and planning for Priceline, led the round and joined the Evolve board of directors.

Evolve provides online marketing and booking services to owners and managers of professionally managed vacation rentals. With the funding round, Evolve has raised $4 million to date.

The company says it plans to use the new funding to bulk up its partnerships with vacation rental suppliers in 2013.

Mylod left Priceline at the end of March 2011, and his duties were taken on by Glenn Fogel.

Brian Egan, Evolve's co-founder and CEO, indicated that the company passed on traditional venture capital firm investment in its Series A in favor of Mylod's operational and strategic experience, and online network of contacts.

"So we didn't see any advantage in pursuing VC versus the value he brought to the table," Egan said.