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How Pacaso Raised $72.5M from Retail Investors
After raising over $300M from prominent venture capital firms and everyday investors in its 5-year history, Pacaso is transforming both vacation home ownership AND startup investing, letting their community own a piece of the company revolutionizing real estate.
$72.5M
Raised
17,500+
Retail Investors
$300M+
Total Capital Raised
When former Zillow executive Austin Allison officially launched Pacaso in October 2020, he had a bold vision: democratize second home ownership through fractional co-ownership. Within a year, the company already operated in 10 markets and had raised significant venture capital.
But here's the twist: After raising $200M+ from prominent VCs like Greycroft, Fifth Wall, and Maveron, Pacaso chose to do something revolutionary. They opened their cap table to retail investors, giving everyday people the same opportunity as venture capitalists to own a piece of the company transforming vacation home ownership.
The Mission: Democratizing Everything
Pacaso's co-ownership model has already disrupted the $1.3 trillion vacation home market by making luxury properties accessible through fractional ownership. With their most recent capital raise, they applied that same democratization philosophy to their own equity.
- Living their values: A company built on democratizing ownership is now democratizing investment opportunities.
- Community alignment: Their current clients and broader community could become shareholders through this offering.
- Strategic expansion capital: Funds will be used to expand globally into Italy, the Caribbean, and beyond, as well as provide significant fuel into the product and team behind Pacaso.
- Building lasting relationships: Creating a powerful network of investor-advocates who believe in the mission.
From VC Darling to Community Champion: Pacaso's Capital Evolution
Oct 2020
Series A
The Beginning
Led by Maveron, the VC firm that invested early in Zillow, Alibaba, and eBay. Pacaso launches with the vision to revolutionize second home ownership.
Mar 2021
Series B
Record-Breaking Growth
Just 5 months after the public launch, Greycroft and Global Founders Capital led the Series B round, fueling Pacaso's growth into new markets.
Sep 2021
Series C
Institutional Validation
Top-tier institutional investors validate Pacaso's model and accelerate expansion into 40+ markets globally.
2024-2025
Series D Growth Round
Opening to Retail Investors
$72.5M+
Raised
17,500+
Investors
Pacaso partners with DealMaker to democratize access to their equity, allowing both accredited and non-accredited investors to join prominent VCs on the cap table. Pacaso built one of the most accessible growth-stage investment opportunities in the market.
Massive Market Opportunity
Pacaso is capturing their piece of an enormous and growing market with less than 1% penetration so far. They believe the biggest opportunities are still ahead:
- $1.2B+ in gross real estate transactions and associated service fees facilitated across 40+ markets in just 5 years
- $122M+ in lifetime gross profits achieved to date
- 100,000+ stay nights booked with nearly 90% occupancy rate
Total Addressable Market
Pacaso is positioned at the intersection of massive markets with enormous growth potential
$1.3T
U.S. Vacation Home Market
Massive domestic opportunity with 75% of Americans wanting a second home
$500B
European Market
Growing international expansion into Italy, France, UK, and beyond
<1%
Current Penetration
Enormous runway for growth in an untapped market
Powered by DealMaker
Pacaso selected DealMaker to facilitate its Reg A+ offering because of their proven track record with high-profile raises and comprehensive investor management capabilities.
Why Pacaso Chose DealMaker
- Seamless investor onboarding for both accredited and non-accredited investors
- Self-hosted solution maintaining Pacaso's brand throughout the process
- Real-time analytics to track and optimize the raise in real-time
- Compliance expertise with SEC regulations and requirements
- Full-service marketing engine DealMaker's marketing services team drove exceptional results through an integrated multi-channel campaign including television advertising, premium newsletter placements, print advertising, digital performance marketing, influencer partnerships, strategic webinar marketing, and targeted email marketing
This comprehensive marketing approach contributed significantly to Pacaso raising $72.5M+ from 17,500+ investors, demonstrating the power of combining world-class technology with strategic marketing execution.
Voices from Pacaso Leadership
Hear directly from the team about why they chose to democratize their cap table and partner with DealMaker
Partnership & Platform Choice
DealMaker made it possible for us to raise $72.5M from everyday investors with the same sophistication we brought to our VC rounds. Their platform handled everything from compliance to investor onboarding, letting us focus on welcoming new investors and continuing our mission to build the future of vacation home ownership.
Strategic Value of Retail Investors
The smartest companies are building communities of investor-advocates, not just raising capital. DealMaker enabled us to create a base of 17,500+ retail investors who now have a vested interest in Pacaso's success. Many of these investors will become customers, brand ambassadors, and sources of valuable market feedback. That's strategic capital.
The Future of Democratized Ownership
Pacaso will use the funds raised in this round to bring vacation home ownership to even more people. After a year-long capital raise, they honed in their public blueprint for growth, identifying four key areas:
- Geographic Expansion: Adding homes in more domestic and international destinations, including Italy, Caribbean, and Mexico to capture the 40% of wealthy Americans wanting vacation homes abroad and 75% of Americans who want to purchase a second home generally
- Technology Enhancement: Strengthening product, engineering, and home operations including AI-powered features
- Market Penetration: Growing within the market responsibly, using buyer-led demand signals to drive expansion
- Operational Excellence: Enabling more families to create unforgettable memories in luxury vacation homes
DealMaker was thrilled to play a role in this campaign, ultimately driving impact across four dimensions:
- For Pacaso: Building a strong group of investor-advocates who believe in the mission
- For Investors: Access to growth-stage equity alongside institutional investors
- For the Industry: Proving that retail capital and VC funding be combined
- For the Future: Setting the standard for how high-growth companies engage their communities
Mission Alignment
At Pacaso, we believe in democratizing ownership. Whether it's giving clients the ability to purchase a fraction of a vacation home or opening the chance to invest in our company. DealMaker shares that philosophy. They've built the infrastructure to make high-quality investment opportunities accessible to everyone, not just institutional investors. That alignment made them the obvious choice.
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