AutoCamp Business Model

AutoCamp Business Model

Recently, AutoCamp opened up AutoCamp Regulation Crowdfunding, which we explained in Part 1 in this series. In this article, we’re covering our view of the AutoCamp Business Model, which is now quite transparent, thanks to SEC regulations that require that AutoCamp share their business model to prospective investors.

AutoCamp Business Model: PropCo vs OpCo

When AutoCamp published their pitch to the public to participate in AutoCamp Regulation Crowdfunding, they released this chart. This chart is the heart of the AutoCamp business model. You can click to enlarge it. We’re going to discuss this model, below.

AutoCamp Business Model: OpCo

So what you’re investing in, should you choose to invest, is essentially branding and marketing. You are NOT investing in property/locations or the physical lodgings (Airstreams, X Suites, Cabins, tents).

AutoCamp states that this is a typical business model followed by the likes of Hilton and others. Remember, AutoCamp partners with Hilton to use their rewards and booking system.

Like Hilton and other leading hotel brands, we are structured to keep property ownership, brand, and management separate. Capital for land and development comes from major institutional partners, allowing AutoCamp Hospitality Group to stay asset-light. That means investors back the part of the business responsible for growing the brand, licensing locations, managing properties, and delivering the guest experience, where the margins are higher, and the growth scales faster.

https://invest.autocamp.com/

Note an important element of the “OpCo”: MANAGES OR ARRANGES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF PROPERTIES.

To us, this is a hugely important element of the OpCo. Why? We have been to all 8 currently open locations. The staffing at AutoCamp is excellent. The front desk staff, the maintenance staff, and the housekeeping staff all go above and beyond and truly exhibit hospitality. There was only one property that we felt was weaker than the rest, and we’re actually not going to name it here. It’s been a while since we visited that property, so we don’t know the current status.

AutoCamp Business Model: PropCo

PropCo is what you think of when you think AutoCamp. It’s the locations:

• AutoCamp Asheville
• AutoCamp Cape Cod
• AutoCamp Catskills
• AutoCamp Hill Country – now delayed until 2028!!!
• AutoCamp Joshua Tree
• AutoCamp Russian River
• Autocamp Yosemite
• AutoCamp Sonoma (formerly called AutoCamp Russian River)
• AutoCamp Zion

PropCo finances are outlined in the SEC Form C. This is interesting to see for the first time.

AutoCamp Business Model: The Symbiosis

This chart explains the relationship of how PropCo “pays” OpCo. Click to enlarge:

This is their focus:

1. The more properties, the more revenue for PropCo.
2. The more properties, the more marketing, branding, and management fees to OpCo, the subject of the investment.

However, that sure doesn’t address the concern of running in the red over 2 million a year. Hence: RISK.

AutoCamp Business Model: Annual Report Disclosure Requirements

Current Number of Employees:	251.00
Total Assets Most Recent Fiscal Year-end:	5,027,890.00
Total Assets Prior Fiscal Year-end:	3,791,341.00
Cash and Cash Equivalents Most Recent Fiscal Year-end:	2,522,269.00
Cash and Cash Equivalents Prior Fiscal Year-end:	1,715,413.00
Accounts Receivable Most Recent Fiscal Year-end:	2,400,436.00
Accounts Receivable Prior Fiscal Year-end:	1,938,844.00
Short-term Debt Most Recent Fiscal Year-end:	1,980,867.00
Short-term Debt Prior Fiscal Year-end:	2,103,234.00
Long-term Debt Most Recent Fiscal Year-end:	3,853,007.00
Long-term Debt Prior Fiscal Year-end:	1,778,068.00
Revenue/Sales Most Recent Fiscal Year-end:	4,350,310.00
Revenue/Sales Prior Fiscal Year-end:	4,270,300.00
Cost of Goods Sold Most Recent Fiscal Year-end:	0.00
Cost of Goods Sold Prior Fiscal Year-end:	0.00
Taxes Paid Most Recent Fiscal Year-end:	0.00
Taxes Paid Prior Fiscal Year-end:	0.00
Net Income Most Recent Fiscal Year-end:	-858,990.00
Net Income Prior Fiscal Year-end:	–2,203,314.00

Over 2 million in the red in 2024, but about $859,000 in 2025? We suppose this 1 year change is supposed to show a trend or trajectory? AutoCamp Form C and Exhibits FINAL

Another point of note: AutoCamp’s Total Long-Term Notes amount has gone from $1,600,000 in 2024 to $3,521,366 in 2025. They took out $1,521,366 in long term notes in 2025. AutoCamp Form C and Exhibits FINAL page 106.

AutoCamp Business Model: How They Will Spend the Money from Regulation Crowdfunding

In the Form C – SEC document, AutoCamp details how they will spend the proceeds of the money raised from Regulation Crowdfunding. Click to Enlarge.

The details matter:

These figures are rounded up to the dollar.

+ In addition to the eight and one-half percent (8.5%) cash commission on cash proceeds received in the Offering,
*There is also a $32,500 advance setup fee and $15,000 monthly fee for marketing and platform services payable to DealMaker Securities LLC and/or its affiliates. Additionally, this figure excludes fees to Company’s advisors, such as attorneys and accountants. Lastly, the Company will charge each Investor an Investor Processing Fee of three and one-half percent (3.5%) up to a maximum fee per Investor of $500.00, which is included in the table above as part of amounts raised in the Offering.

The Company has the discretion to alter the use of proceeds set forth above to adhere to the Company’s business plan and liquidity requirements. For example, economic conditions may alter the Company’s general marketing or general working capital requirements.

Set forth below are reasonably detailed descriptions of how we intend to use the net proceeds of this Offering for any category in excess of ten percent (10%) in the table above and such descriptions are intended to assist you in understanding how the Offering proceeds will be used.

(1) Marketing –Support for our general brand and Offering marketing efforts, as well as marketing activities connected with identifying and securing new property opportunities. This category also includes investment in two incremental hires.

(2) Infrastructure investment in a Development Lead responsible for identifying and sourcing opportunities for brand expansion, including pipeline development, site origination, partner outreach and evaluation of prospective property opportunities.

(3) Travel, Expansion Site Evaluation. Diligence and early pre-development costs for potential expansion sites (i.e. studies, engineering/planning/design/architectural, permitting/entitlements, and related legal fees).

(4) General Working Capital. Finance, legal, and administrative support costs to operate and scale the business such as Offering & other equity offerings and investor reporting; audit, tax, valuation, and internal controls; compliance, HR, insurance, technology, and back-office.

So 42.7% will be dedicated to Marketing.

22.3% is super interesting – this is to pay a “Development Lead”. A person. A job. Odd that it’s labeled “Infrastructure”, which usually indicates facilities or systems. Their responsibility: acquire more properties. So a good chunk of this funding is to pay for another job position. It’s an important one, but just call it what it is.

A note about the 20.2% for travel. AutoCamp has sales staff meetings quarterly, rotating from one AutoCamp location to another. This sales staff markets to corporations for corporate retreats and also to individuals for weddings, family reunions, etc. It seems this travel line, above, will be dedicated to prospective new properties only.

AutoCamp Business Model: Conclusion

The AutoCamp Business Model of OpCo/PropCo is not new, and is in fact used by many major names in the hospitality industry. To those who are fans of AutoCamp, it doesn’t impact your experience in any way. If you’re considering investing, you’ll want to read more, especially the SEC documents.

For most people, they won’t be investing, but they will be very intersted in where AutoCamp is going in terms of expansion and locations. This is the subject of the 3rd article in this series.

---