Care.com
Care.com is a U.S. online care marketplace that helps families find child care, senior care, pet care and other caregivers. Founded by Sheila Lirio MarceloSheila Lirio MarceloSheila Lirio Marcelo is a Philippine-born entrepreneur, founder and former chairwoman and CEO of the U.S. online care marketplace Care.com, and co-founder and CEO of the family AI assistant company Ohai.ai.Open the full entry in 2006, it went public in 2014, was acquired by IAC in 2020 and was sold to an affiliate of Pacific Avenue Capital Partners in 2026.
Contents20 sections
Key facts
2006Founded
Care.com was founded in 2006 by Sheila Lirio Marcelo.[1]
May 2007Launches in Waltham
Care.com went live in May 2007 from Waltham, Massachusetts, letting users find babysitters, tutors, pet sitters and elderly caregivers; it raised $3.5 million from Matrix PartnersMatrix PartnersMatrix Partners, now branded Matrix, is a US early-stage venture capital firm with roots in Hellman, Ferri Investment Associates, established in 1977. Matrix was founded in 1982 and invests in technology companies from the idea stage through Series A.Open the full entry and angel investors including Reid HoffmanReid HoffmanReid Hoffman is an American entrepreneur, venture investor, author and podcast host, co-founder of LinkedIn, Inflection AI and Manas AI, and a partner at Greylock. A former PayPal executive, he has built and backed businesses in professional networking, artificial intelligence and drug discovery. His co-authored books include The Startup of You and Blitzscaling.Open the full entry.[2]
October 12, 2010$20 Million Led by NEA
New Enterprise Associates led a $20 million round with Matrix Partners and Trinity Ventures, taking total funding past $36 million.[3]
October 12, 2011Raises Another $25 Million
The company raised another $25 million, bringing total capital to about $58.5 million.[1]
August 7, 2012Series E and International Expansion
Institutional Venture Partners led a $50 million Series E, taking total funding to $101 million; with 7 million users in 15 countries, the company had bought Berlin-based Betreut and launched the Care.com brand in the UK and Canada.[4]
August 21, 2012Acquires Breedlove & Associates
Care.com acquired Breedlove & Associates, an Austin, Texas, provider of household payroll, tax and compliance services; terms were not disclosed.[5]
September 18, 2012Launches Karoo
Care.com released Karoo, a private mobile social app connecting parents with their children’s caregivers and recording memories; Karoo had been the company’s name before its public launch.[6]
December 2013Files for NYSE Listing
Care.com planned to raise $80 million in an IPO on the New York Stock Exchange; it had 9.5 million members, revenue had grown from $12.9 million in 2010 to $48.5 million in 2012, and its 2012 net loss was $20.4 million.[7]
2014Initial Public Offering
In 2014 Care.com went public.[8]
June 2016Google Capital Invests
GoogleGoogleGoogle is an American technology company founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin and incorporated in 1998. It became an Alphabet subsidiary in 2015. Its businesses include internet search, advertising, software platforms, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence.Open the full entry Capital invested $46.35 million and became Care.com’s single largest shareholder, paying a 24 percent premium for its shares.[9]
2019Vetting Controversy and Founder’s Exit
In March 2019 The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal is a U.S. news publication founded in 1889, with a focus on business, finance and economics. It is published by Dow Jones, part of News Corp.Open the full entry published an investigation questioning Care.com’s vetting of caregivers; in August Marcelo resigned as chief executive.[10]
December 20, 2019IAC Agrees to Buy Care.com
IAC agreed to buy Care.com for $15 a share in cash, valuing the deal at nearly $500 million, with IAC executive Tim Allen to become CEO.[10]
2020IAC Completes Acquisition
IAC completed its acquisition of Care.com in 2020.[11]
August 26, 2024Settles With the FTC
The FTC filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, alleging Care.com overstated job numbers, made unsubstantiated earnings claims and impeded cancellations; Care.com agreed to pay $8.5 million for consumer refunds.[12]
Care.com said in a statement that it had been prepared to litigate for years if necessary but settled to keep its focus on helping families and caregivers.[13]
June 2, 2025Rebrand
Care.com unveiled a new brand identity and added features including AI search and a safety center; premium memberships cost $13 to $40 a month.[14]
March 2, 2026Sale to Pacific Avenue Announced
IAC agreed to sell Care.com to an affiliate of Pacific Avenue Capital Partners for a gross price of about $320 million in cash; Care.com then partnered with more than 700 employers.[11]
March 18, 2026Sale Completed
The Pacific Avenue affiliate completed its acquisition of Care.com from IAC, the first investment of Pacific Avenue Fund II.[15]
As of October 2026: Current Status
Brad Wilson is Care.com’s chief executive; the company says more than 45 million families and caregivers have used it, and it runs a care brand in Germany and Austria.[16]
Related Organizations, Websites, and Public Accounts
Care.com: Official website: https://www.care.com/ (opens in a new window)[16]
X: Official account: https://x.com/caredotcom (opens in a new window)[16]
YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: Official account: https://www.youtube.com/user/Caredotcom (opens in a new window)[16]
Pacific Avenue Capital Partners: Official website: https://pacificavenuecapital.com/ (opens in a new window)[15]
Sources
- Care.com Raises $25 Million (opens in a new window)
- Care.com, one-stop shop for child, pet, and elderly care (opens in a new window)
- Care.com Raises $20 Million To Connect You To Nannies, Babysitters And Caregivers (opens in a new window)
- An E-Round For E-Help: Care.com Picks Up $50M From IVP And More For Further International Growth (opens in a new window)
- Care.com acquires Breedlove & Associates (opens in a new window)
- Care.com Debuts Karoo, A Private Mobile Social Network For Families & Caregivers (opens in a new window)
- Care.com raising $80M IPO to capture early (and massive) care market (opens in a new window)
- About – Sheila Lirio Marcelo (opens in a new window)
- Why Google Capital deal could augur the reemergence of so-called PIPEs (opens in a new window)
- Care.com shares surge after Barry Diller’s IAC agrees to buy online caregiver marketplace (opens in a new window)
- Pacific Avenue Capital Partners to Acquire IAC’s Care.com (opens in a new window)
- FTC Takes Action Against Care.com for Deceiving Caregivers About Wages and Availability of Jobs on its Site and Impeding Cancellation Process (opens in a new window)
- Care.com to pay customers $8.5M in FTC settlement for deceiving caregivers, families (opens in a new window)
- America’s sandwich generation is overwhelmed. Can this app help? (opens in a new window)
- Affiliate of Pacific Avenue Capital Partners Completes Acquisition of Care.com from IAC (opens in a new window)
- Company Overview - Care.com Corporate (opens in a new window)