Funding deals, Founders and Investors, & Movers and Shakers #41

FUNDING

🇮🇳Zolve is expecting to reach a $1 million revenue run rate by the end of this year. The brand is aiming to grow it to a $100 million revenue run rate by the end of FY23. Link here. 

🇺🇸 Gemini, the cryptocurrency exchange created by the Winklevoss Capital twins, the two Meta dissidents, has raised $400 million in its latest growth equity funding round. Link here. 

🇰🇪 Cellulant Ltd., a Kenyan financial-technology provider, is planning its fourth round of fundraising targeting to become a so-called unicorn in three years. Link here. 

🇬🇧 Pomelo Pay announced that it has raised US$10 million in a Series A round led by UK-based independent investment firm Inference Partners. Link here.

🇦🇺 FIN-PAY announced it has raised AU$10 million (approx. US$7.2 million) in seed funding from a number of high-net-worth individuals and family offices. Link here. 

🇬🇧 Payhawk announced a $112M Series B round as transaction volume on its platform has increased by 663% since April. Link here. 

Commission-free stockbroking app 🇬🇧 Freetrade is to embark on its seventh crowdfunding round just seven months after raising a Series B round of $69 million. Link here. 

Nigerian money transfer startup 🇳🇬 Aboki Africa has raised a round of pre-seed funding to help it expand its team and scale its product. Link here. 

🇵🇭 Plentina, a buy now, pay later startup focused on emerging markets, announced today it has raised $2.2 million. Link here. 

In the third quarter of this year alone, African FinTech firms raised $906m, according to Digest Africa, a database of early-stage investments on the continent. Link here. 

Open data startup 🇱🇹 Okredo has closed a €1 million seed funding round led by the Lithuanian Business Angels Fund and Presto Ventures, with support from Startup Wise Guys as well as several angel investors. Link here.

🇮🇱 Justt, a startup using machine learning to help online merchants prevent false chargebacks, has come out of stealth with $70 million in funding. Link here. 

🇺🇸 UNest, a fintech startup that provides financial planning tools for parents saving on behalf of their children, announced that it raised $26 million in Series B funding led by The Artemis Fund. Link here. 

Corporate service platform Sleek has raised $14 million in a Series A funding round led by Jungle Ventures and White Star Capital. The Singaporean firm intends to use the cash to invest in tech and product development, grow its workforce and expand its global footprint outside of Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and the Philippines. Link here. 

🇮🇹 Sibill has raised €500,000 pre-seed funding from Copenhagen-based startup studio Founders and business angels including Federico Sargenti, CEO of Everli, Raffaele Mauro, Partner at Primo Space, Matteo Cera, CEO at Hogaru and Giuseppe Lacerenza, Managing Director at Slimmer AI, an Amsterdam-based venture builder. Link here.

Late Show host James Corden and former Goldman chief Lloyd Blankfein have joined Thrive Capital and Stripe in a $38 million funding round for branded payments and rewards startup 🇺🇸 Imprint. Link here. 

🇵🇰 Abhi (YC S21) Pvt. raised funds at a $40 million valuation just four months after introducing its business that allows salaried employees to access funds before payday. Link here. 

🇮🇳 Digivriddhi Technologies Private Limited (DGV) has raised $3.1 Mn in a Pre Series A round from Info Edge Ventures and Omnivore. Link here. 

🇦🇺 Prezzee established itself in the UK market with the aim of disrupting the £7bn UK gift economy before expanding into Europe. Link here. 

In addition, the sector's innovation ecosystem is buoyant with large fundings like 🇧🇷Justos which raised more than US$30 million in Series A last week — being 4x larger than the standard Series A in Brazil. Link here.

🇩🇪 pockid.money announces its €4 million seed funding round.  Link here. 

Fast-growing SME banking provider 🇦🇺 Airwallex has topped up its already impressive Series E funding round announced two months ago, with an additional $100m at an even higher valuation. Link here. 

🇺🇸 Upgrade, Inc., the FinTech start-up that turns credit card balances into installment loans, has closed a fundraising round that values the company at $6.28 billion, CNBC has learned. Link here. 

FOUNDERS & INVESTORS

Back in March 🇬🇧 Wirex launched their brand new Wirex Mastercard in the EEA region, have recently introduced exclusive offers for their Mastercard cardholders, and now, they announced that they've joined Mastercard’s Priceless Planet initiative! Link here. 

🇦🇪 VentureSouq, the UAE-based investment firm focused on early-stage technology businesses, unveiled a $50 million venture fund that will target the FinTech sector. Link here. 

🇬🇧 SumUp has announced its decision to join 1% for the Planet and commit 1% of future net revenues to environmental causes such as preventing deforestation, building renewable energy infrastructure, practicing regenerative organic agriculture, conserving water, diverting waste, and creating more sustainable materials. Link here. 

British VC firm 🇬🇧 Balderton Capital, known for backing companies such as Revolut and Depop, has raised its largest early-stage fund ever.  Link here. 

Amsterdam-based 🇳🇱 Keen Venture Partners, a venture capital firm that invests in fast-growing European scale-ups at the Series A and B stage, announced that it has closed its second fund at €120M. Link here. 

🇩🇪 Mars Growth, a Liquidity Group, and MUFG joint venture fund announced it has provided a $4.5 million credit facility for Kontist, a leading FinTech company providing banking and bookkeeping services to the self-employed and freelancers in Germany. Link here. 

MOVERS & SHAKERS

🇫🇷 Shares, Europe’s first social and investing app, announced the appointment of Harjas Singh Co-Founder Chief Product Officer of Shares. Link here.

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