Once a start-up run from a Sydney garage, trades finder site Hipages has grown into a web giant with a reported $100 million valuation.

Since launching in 2004, it claims to directly employ 200 people and now helps more than 65,000 verified tradespeople find work and get access to $1.35 billion worth of jobs generated annually.

This week News Corp Australia announced that it had bought a 25 per cent share in the mature business, and there is an expactation that a stock exchange float will follow.

Funding will be used to accelerate growth, invest in product development, and create greater brand awareness among customers and trade businesses, cofounder and chief executive David Vitek says.

"We've come a long way from a small garage in 2004, to employing 200 people today. While we're very proud of the growth we've had so far, we know Hipages is just getting started.

"People love having a faster, better way to find the best tradie for any job they need done. But the real competition is that too many Australians still aren't aware that there's a better way to do this."

News Corp Australia chief executive Peter Tonagh said the investment was "part of a wider plan to further develop and grow" the property and home services category in Australia.

"Hipages is a leader in this market and has consistently demonstrated innovation and strong management."

Other backers of the company include the Ashok Jacob-led Ellerston Capital, which has 14 per cent, Sydney-based Right Click Capital and Australian Ethical Investment.