Airbnb looks to keep employees happy by allowing them to sell stock to investors

Hoping to delay an IPO and free up cash flow as it expands, home-rental startup Airbnb is reportedly looking to raise upwards of $1 billion in its current funding round from a handful of strategic investors.

That funding raise would value the company at approximately $30 billion, according to an earlier report in The New York Times.

But in an interesting twist, The Wall Street Journal's Rolfe Winkler, Douglas MacMillan and Maureen Farrell reported Wednesday that the company is also allowing investors to purchase nearly $200 million in stock from Airbnb employees in common shares, at a valuation of around $25 billion.

The move would help retain and keep long-term employees happy while the company focuses on global expansion. With fresh cash flow, an Airbnb IPO is unlikely in either 2016 or 2017, according to the Journal.

Airbnb was not immediately available for comment.

You can read the full report over at The Wall Street Journal.

NOW WATCH: IKEA built a smart kitchen of the future - and it's unlike anything we've ever seen

Please enable Javascript to watch this video