Swimply
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sharing economy, Rental services |
| Founded | 2019 |
| Founder | Bunim Laskin |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | United States, Canada, Australia |
| Products | Hourly rental of private swimming pools, sports courts, and residential properties |
| Website | swimply |
Swimply functions as a digital platform enabling the hourly rental of private swimming pools, sports courts, and residential properties. Property owners can offer facilities such as pools, music studios, pickleball courts, and fitness centers to individuals or groups for temporary use. The entire process—including booking, communication, amenity selection, and payment—is facilitated via the Swimply mobile app (accessible on both Android and iPhone) or through the official website. Swimply serves customers across the United States, Canada, and Australia.
History
The concept for Swimply originated with founder Bunim Laskin at age 20 after observing that a neighbor’s pool was seldom used. He arranged to rent it in return for assisting with maintenance and then identified additional pools by examining Google Earth satellite imagery. The platform’s name merges swimming and simply. Upon launch, Laskin listed over 30 pools, secured approximately 400 bookings, and attracted media coverage including from MSNBC. By the end of that year, he decided to leave college to dedicate himself fully to developing the company.
In November 2019, Swimply extended its services into the Australian market.
On March 13, 2020, Laskin presented Swimply on Shark Tank, seeking investment; however, none of the Sharks chose to invest. Former COO Asher Weinberger later cited pandemic-induced lockdowns as a factor limiting business potential during that period.
Funding and revenue
Initial financing included $30,000 raised from family and friends followed by a $1.2 million seed investment round. Although a subsequent funding round was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Swimply experienced a remarkable 4000% surge in revenue throughout 2020. In 2021, the company secured $10 million in Series A funding led by Norwest Venture Partners with participation from Trust Ventures and prominent angel investors such as Poshmark CEO Manish Chandra and Ancestry.com CEO Debora Liu.
Swimply’s revenue strategy resembles that of Airbnb, applying commission charges to both hosts and renters. Typically, hourly rates for pool rentals begin at $20 in most locations.
Liability
As of 2023, Swimply discontinued its previous liability insurance coverage and introduced a self-insured "host guarantee" offering up to $1 million in protection along with $10,000 in property coverage for hosts within the U.S. Pool owners are required to have their pools inspected to ensure compliance with health and safety standards, including assessments of tile integrity and chlorine levels.