MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Boatsetter, the leading marketplace for on-the-water experiences and boat rentals, announced today that it has raised $38M in Series B funding co-led by Level Equity, with participation from Suntex Marinas, Certares and others. The Digital Private Markets team of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC served as the sole placement agent for the deal. The Series B funding will enable Boatsetter to enrich the product features, boat inventory, and experiential offerings that have drawn over one million boaters and boat owners alike to the Boatsetter community since launch, as well as to bring Boatsetter to new markets across the globe.
With more than 50,000 boat listings in 700 locations worldwide, Boatsetter offers the most diverse collection of high-quality rental boats available, as well as a wide array of water activities. Boat owners and captains are creating new on-the-water experiences daily, including wakeboarding, sunset cruises, party boats, fishing excursions, sand bar hopping, and so much more. Launched commercially in 2014, Boatsetter pioneered the first ever peer-to-peer boat rental insurance policy - securing exclusive coverage with GEICO & BoatUS. Now, as a result of Boatsetter’s efforts, private boat owners can rent their boats through the Boatsetter platform - reinventing what’s possible within the $60B boating industry and creating an entirely new category within the recreational, outdoor leisure and travel sharing economy.
“Our mission has always been about celebrating the ways that the water brings people together, and making incredible on-the-water experiences more affordable and accessible to everyone, everywhere,” said Jaclyn Baumgarten, Co-Founder and CEO of Boatsetter. “By making it simple and worry-free to book an experience through Boatsetter, we’ve been able to welcome hundreds of thousands of new boaters onto the water for the very first time. With this funding, we’ll continue to build on that momentum, bringing more boats, experiences, and markets into the Boatsetter community.”
Individuals, families and friends of all ages can go to Boatsetter to discover and book unique experiences on the water that fit a variety of price points and interests. New boaters who are still gaining confidence at the helm can rent a boat with a captain, accessing Boatsetter’s database of United States Coast Guard certified captains - another element that sets Boatsetter apart.
“We were attracted to how Boatsetter has taken the often intimidating arena of boat rental and ownership and made it remarkably intuitive,” said Gautam Gupta, Partner at Level Equity. “They’ve put extensive work into building the infrastructure it takes to make a business like this successful in the long term, and they’ve cracked open a market for water experiences that was previously quite narrow - attracting hundreds of thousands of new boaters and boat owners of all ages and backgrounds in the process.”
While Boatsetter has filled a much-needed void for consumers who may not have had access to the water before, it has also created paths to entrepreneurship for many boat owners who see the best in class return on investment they can achieve from renting their vessels via Boatsetter, as well as the peace of mind provided by Boatsetter’s turnkey service, which manages every aspect from matching them with qualified renters to putting the insurance in place to collecting payment.
Boatsetter has seen steady growth and adoption of its technology, doubling its year-over-year bookings in 2021. Renters can download the Boatsetter app or visit the website to book a boat in less than five minutes and be out on the water the next day.
About Boatsetter:
With more than 50,000 boat listings available in over 700 locations worldwide, Boatsetter is the leading marketplace for on-the-water experiences and boat rentals. Boatsetter makes it easy to discover and enjoy a wide array of on-water experiences by connecting qualified renters directly to boat owners and licensed captains. Featuring the largest database of USCG-certified captains, Boatsetter makes it possible for even those with no prior boating experience to tap into an incredible array of water activities. Credited with pioneering the first ever peer-to-peer boat rental insurance policy, Boat setter has empowered boat owners with the tools and support to become entrepreneurs on the water. Launched commercially in 2014, over one million boaters and boat owners alike have turned to Boatsetter to discover the endless possibilities the water provides.
