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Luxury Link Completes $9 Million Financing
with
San Francisco Equity Partners and El Dorado Ventures
LOS ANGELES , CA., June 7, 2006 - Luxury Link (www.luxurylink.com), the leading online luxury travel resource, announced today it has completed a $9-million round of financing consisting of both new funding and a shareholder buyout. The financing, co-led by San Francisco Equity Partners and El Dorado Ventures, will go towards the company's growth initiatives in customer acquisition, brand awareness, and expansion of consumer access to the more than 1,000 upscale hotels and resorts, cruises, tours and villas in over 60 countries currently available through the company's web site.
The company also announced that Scott Potter, founder and managing partner of San Francisco Equity Partners, and Charles Beeler, a general partner of El Dorado Ventures, have joined its board of directors. Cameron Steele, a partner with San Francisco Equity Partners, has joined the board as an observer.
"This financing will enable us to further expand our offerings in the luxury-travel market and attract even more consumers who desire the ultimate travel experience and superior value," said James Kaplan, founder and CEO. "We will also be able to extend Luxury Link's platform to other luxury verticals that complement our overall vision."
Founded in 1997, Luxury Link partners with leading luxury properties and travel service providers around the world to create unique vacation packages, which are auctioned to consumers at attractive rates. The company completed more than 32,000 online auctions in 2005. Luxury Link users are among the most loyal on the Internet, with 50 percent of closed auctions won by repeat purchasers.
Primarily recognized as an online luxury travel resource, Luxury Link's unique content offering and desirable consumer demographics are also attracting growing interest from non-travel luxury consumer brands.
"Luxury Link's traditional business model is very sound and its ability to expand into non-travel luxury areas is showing tremendous promise," said Scott Potter, founder and managing partner of San Francisco Equity Partners. "Being a repeat customer myself, and having spent considerable time researching its business model, we believe Luxury Link is uniquely positioned to lead the online luxury category for many years to come."
"Luxury Link has proven itself as a leader in the luxury travel market. We look forward to working with the company as it benefits from additional partners and capital to accelerate its growth and further expand its leadership in the market," said Charles Beeler, a general partner with El Dorado Ventures.
About San Francisco Equity Partners
San Francisco Equity Partners of San Francisco is a private equity firm focused on expansion-stage companies within the consumer, information technology, media and service industries, and has a proven track record of working with growth companies. The firm was founded in partnership with LMS Capital to offer its portfolio companies access to a global network of industry contacts and deep financial resources. For more information please visit www.sfequitypartners.com.
About El Dorado Ventures
El Dorado Ventures (EDV) is a leading entrepreneur-focused, early-stage venture capital firm with a 20-year history of success. Entrepreneurs see EDV as a trusted investment partner who shares their vision and helps them succeed by providing ongoing strategic guidance and access to a wealth of industry contacts. With $750 million in capital under management, the firm invests across the information technology spectrum, from semiconductors and systems to communications, software and services, targeting both consumers and the enterprise. El Dorado’s early-stage investments have included Cyras Systems, EarthLink, Efficient Networks, Novellus and NuSpeed Internet Systems. Numerous EDV portfolio companies have gone public or been acquired by major technology companies including Ciena, Cisco Systems, Nvidia, Siemens, Texas Instruments and Yahoo. For more information, please visit www.eldorado.com.
About Luxury Link
Founded in 1997, Luxury Link, LLC, is the leading provider of luxury travel on the web, including research, special offers, and travel auctions, updated daily. LuxuryLink.com has been recognized as a leading travel web site by numerous entities including Travel & Leisure, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post and Inc. magazine.
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