At a time when it is still difficult to raise funds in Brazil and abroad, fintech Laqus, which stores assets such as commercial notes, receivables and debentures, managed to raise R$10 million in an operation that is very common in the United States and which is beginning to gain momentum in Brazil, the so-called "venture debt", a way of taking out funds like a loan, paying interest, but without diluting the founders' stake in the startup.
With the R$10 million, Laqus is gaining momentum until it can raise a round of funding from investors, which could happen by the end of the first half of 2024, says its president and founder, Rodrigo Amato. According to him, the fintech will now seek a larger cheque, in a series B round.
The funds raised will now be used for the fintech's investments in technology and sales, at a time when this type of business should be more sought after due to new rules from the Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM). One of these rules makes it compulsory to deposit commercial notes acquired by receivables funds, which was previously optional. B3 and Laqus are the only ones so far authorised by the CVM to operate this type of asset deposit service.
The operation was carried out with Namari Capital, which has a venture debt fund and provides undiluted capital to start-ups. Unlike a funding round, in which the new investors become partners in the company, this type of fundraising is a way of raising money without the need for entrepreneurs to see their share of the company they have created reduced. In the United States, ventude debt has existed for around 40 years and has helped leverage technology giants such as Airbnb, Facebook, Spotify and Uber.
Laqus had more than a thousand private issues in its portfolio, considering data up to August, which totalled more than R$10 billion. By the end of 2023, the company expects to have deposited R$13 billion in commercial notes alone, not to mention other assets. Companies that have used the fintech's services include Natura, Ecoagro and Zamp (Burger King).
At a time when it is still difficult to raise funds in Brazil and abroad, fintech Laqus, which stores assets such as commercial notes, receivables and debentures, managed to raise R$10 million in an operation that is very common in the United States and which is beginning to gain momentum in Brazil, the so-called "venture debt", a way of taking out funds like a loan, paying interest, but without diluting the founders' stake in the startup.
With the R$10 million, Laqus is gaining momentum until it can raise a round of funding from investors, which could happen by the end of the first half of 2024, says its president and founder, Rodrigo Amato. According to him, the fintech will now seek a larger cheque, in a series B round.
The funds raised will now be used for the fintech's investments in technology and sales, at a time when this type of business should be more sought after due to new rules from the Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM). One of these rules makes it compulsory to deposit commercial notes acquired by receivables funds, which was previously optional. B3 and Laqus are the only ones so far authorised by the CVM to operate this type of asset deposit service.
The operation was carried out with Namari Capital, which has a venture debt fund and provides undiluted capital to start-ups. Unlike a funding round, in which the new investors become partners in the company, this type of fundraising is a way of raising money without the need for entrepreneurs to see their share of the company they have created reduced. In the United States, ventude debt has existed for around 40 years and has helped leverage technology giants such as Airbnb, Facebook, Spotify and Uber.
Laqus had more than a thousand private issues in its portfolio, considering data up to August, which totalled more than R$10 billion. By the end of 2023, the company expects to have deposited R$13 billion in commercial notes alone, not to mention other assets. Companies that have used the fintech's services include Natura, Ecoagro and Zamp (Burger King).