By Lea Mira - HTN staff writer - 3.24.2025
A low-profile yet fast-growing technology solution provider based in Cary, North Carolina is making waves in the hotel industry. Inn-Flow, a company providing integrated back-office management software for the hotel industry, has secured a $45 million growth capital investment from Mainsail Partners, a San Francisco-based private equity firm specializing in vertical SaaS. The funding marks the company’s first institutional investment and sets the stage for major expansion across product, people, and market reach.
Founded in 2009 by John Erhart, a hospitality industry veteran with deep roots in hotel ownership through his family’s company, CMC Hotels, Inn-Flow began as a solution to streamline operations within the family business. The platform officially launched to the broader industry in 2014, quickly gaining traction among hotel owners and operators seeking better tools to manage increasingly complex operations.
Fast forward to today, and Inn-Flow has evolved into a comprehensive, cloud-based platform designed specifically for hotel management companies. The software offers a suite of integrated modules covering accounting and bookkeeping, payroll, labor management, procurement, sales tracking, bank reconciliation, and business intelligence. These tools empower hotel operators to automate routine tasks, improve decision-making, control labor costs, and scale more efficiently.
In 2024 alone, Inn-Flow reportedly processed over 920,000 invoices, managed $2.7 billion in payables, and reconciled nearly 5,000 bank accounts across its customer base. It also supported over 100,000 labor-management users, tracking nearly 15 million labor hours and overseeing payroll volume in excess of $200 million. These metrics underscore the platform’s growing impact on operational performance and financial visibility within the hospitality sector.
“This investment is a major milestone for our team and our customers,” said John Erhart, Founder and CEO of Inn-Flow in a statement. “We are committed to providing a robust, user-friendly platform that enables hotel owners and management companies to simplify their operations and grow their businesses profitably. Mainsail’s experience in scaling vertical SaaS companies will help us take Inn-Flow to the next level.”
The investment will reportedly be used to accelerate product innovation, enhance customer experience, and expand the company’s team, including the planned hiring of at least 20 new employees in the Cary area over the next 18 months. Mainsail’s strategic support will also help Inn-Flow expand its presence in new market segments and further differentiate its platform in an increasingly competitive space.
As part of its expansion strategy, Inn-Flow will reportedly roll out new product offerings in the coming months, including solutions for facilities management, mobile access, and advanced business intelligence. These new capabilities aim to help hoteliers operate more efficiently, stay ahead of the technology curve, and ultimately drive higher profitability.
The hotel industry’s push toward digital transformation—fueled by rising labor costs, leaner teams, and increased demand for automation—has created fertile ground for platforms like Inn-Flow. With a strong foundation, loyal customer base, and now, significant financial backing, the company is well-positioned to become a dominant force in hotel back-office technology.
From a family-owned hotel solution to a national leader in hospitality SaaS, Inn-Flow’s journey is a compelling case study in how industry insiders can drive innovation by solving problems from the inside out.