Cabana Raises $10 Million for Glamping-on-Wheels Model
Skift Take
New startup Cabana is betting that the outdoor adventure sector can at least double in size with better product and service. It's interesting that Jason Calacanis and Paul English are backers because they've used this playbook before as entrepreneurs and investors in other sectors.
Cabana, a mobile hotel startup (think: glamping on wheels), said on Tuesday it had raised $10 million, which may seem like a small amount but is further evidence of investor intrigue in new ideas for outdoor travel.
Craft Ventures and Goldcrest Capital led the Series A round. Danish venture capital firm Nordic Eye also participated.
Cabana, based in Seattle, previously raised $3.5 million in seed funding. Its investors include Jason Calacanis, who is both a serial entrepreneur who created Silicon Alley Reporter and Weblogs Inc., and a serial early-stage investor in companies such as Uber, and Paul English, the co-founder of the travel search engine Kayak and the business travel startup Lola.
"We'll use the funds to build our technology platform, continue improving our vehicle design, and expand to a four-passenger van from the current model," said Cabana co-founder and CEO Scott Kubly.
Cabana designs campervans that it rents. It designs the vehicles to avoid problems that inexperienced RV renters hate — striving to blend hotel-like amenities with the convenience of car sharing. The company uses software to smooth out planning and logistical matters for travelers, too.
A Boom of Interest in RVs and Campervans
The startup is ri
