Privately funded space flight?

[Combwork]

Having read about Richard Branson's private venture, is anyone seriously working on a private venture commercial passenger carrying craft that could go into orbit, or even further? Richard Branson's craft won't go as high as the Space Shuttle, but like the Shuttle it's designed to be re-usable. Maybe more important, it could give a lot of useful data to help further development. Why wait for government money if seriously rich individuals can fund things like this privately?

It's Sunday. Today I do things in the house, then drink beer and watch TV. And have daft ideas.