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Luxembourg – February 1, 2021.
Pre-Series A financing round of Singapore-based consumer credit management platform, Lendela, co-led by 2be.lu Investments, a Luxembourg based early stage VC fund, has raised US$2 million. The round will allow Lendela to accelerate its growth across Singapore and Hong Kong, with plans to hire new talent in tech development, business development and marketing.
Lendela is a digital lending broker pioneering an improved loan experience for customers in Southeast Asia and other markets by simplifying the complete loan application process and connecting the right customer with the right bank. The company offers the best credit terms for users, and low acquisition costs and access to their customer base for lending partners. The platform allows borrowers to complete a simple, online application that is immediately shared with available partner lenders. Within 24 hours, applicants are presented with multiple offers and can immediately make their choice and proceed to sign the final loan documents.
The company was founded by the global FinTech group Zentro Finmarket. The team behind the company comes from Sweden, where loan matchmaking proves to be a viable business model. With its unique proprietary platform, the company aims to offer FinTech services that fuse Nordic-inspired user experience and financial technology with local expertise in the Southeast Asian region.
Launched in 2018, the company has expanded its network to 40 strategic partners, helping them effectively acquire and convert customers in the saturated personal loan market. These partners include leading banks such as Standard Chartered Bank and HSBC as well as well-established licensed money lenders. In 2020, it achieved seven times growth, and now serves over 10,000 borrowers in Singapore and Hong Kong.
“With COVID-19, the shift towards digitalization has accelerated across Southeast Asia. Lendela’s digital lending process is even more valuable in a pandemic with restrictions on social interaction,” said Nima Karimi, CEO and Founder of Lendela.
According to a study conducted by Google, Temasek and Bain & Company, digital lending in Southeast Asia is on track to grow 33 percent annually to reach US$18 billion by 2025.
“We were very impressed with the team, their vision for the market opportunity in South East Asia, when we first met. The progress that the team is making is incredible and it’s great to support them on their journey,” said Alexander Tkachenko, Founder and Managing Partner of 2be.lu.
“2be.lu’s constant support, while simultaneously challenging me when needed, has been key for me as a founder, as I have been growing Lendela. I have also appreciated, how they have been able to follow-on with each round, forging our partnership closer over time,” said Nima Karimi, CEO & Founder of Lendela
About:
2be.lu is a Luxembourg based venture capital fund for early-stage investments in platform businesses, e-commerce, and services using process automation, artificial intelligence or blockchain technology. 2be.lu was set up in 2014 in Luxembourg. The fund currently manages a portfolio of 17 tech startups which disrupt traditional markets and business models.
Alexander Tkachenko is Founder and Managing Partner of 2be.lu Investments SCS
Alexander has twenty years of professional experience in marketing, sales and business development and holds an MBA from London Business School and Columbia University. Alexander is a co-chair of VC club at Luxembourg’s PE and VC Association (LPEA), and is an Executive Council member at Digital Banking and Fintech Cluster in Luxembourg’s Banks Association (ABBL). He is a Business angel, member of LBAN (Luxembourg Business Angel Network) and E100 (London Business Club angel investor network).
