South Central Ventures is a VC investor with a long and enduring presence in the Adriatic region.  Operating out of four offices – Ljubljana, Zagreb, Belgrade, and Skopje – the team has invested in about 40 early-stage tech companies and has been an integral part of the local start-up community. With a strong base of international investors, South Central Ventures is the go-to-investor for regional tech companies competing in global markets.

South Central Ventures

Lead Ventures is a Budapest-based venture capital firm, specialist of financing scale-ups in Central Europe. Its mission is to support the region’s most promising ventures with capital, experience and a wide-ranging professional network, enabling them to transform their industry with innovation.  Lead Ventures provides equity financing to companies in their scale-up phase, the typical ticket size is between EUR 2-10 million. Lead Ventures is searching for dynamic teams with a unique story, outstanding growth potential and solutions tested and validated by the market. The firm seeks to invest in companies operating in the mobility, energy and sustainability as well as b2b services and software sectors, however, Lead Ventures is open to support teams active in other areas as well. Lead Ventures has EUR 100 million under management invested by MOL, the most successful energy company in CEE, and two financial institutions specialised in supporting the startup ecosystem - the Hungarian Development Bank (MFB) and Eximbank.

Lead Ventures

BlackPeak Capital is a co-investment growth equity fund focused on investing in high-growth Southeast European small and medium enterprises. BlackPeak Capital is funded by the European Investment Fund, part of the European Investment Bank, through the JEREMIE initiative for support of the SME enterprises in Bulgaria. We invest in equity, mezzanine, and other forms of hybrid capital to support the investment plans of dynamic regional companies. As a co-investment fund, BlackPeak Capital invests alongside other private institutional or individual investors on pari-passu terms. Our target investment ticket is between €1-8 million per transaction.

Black Peak Capital

Catalyst Romania is a private equity and venture capital fund platform.

Catalyst Romania

Leanpay

Leanpay aims to be a pioneer of BNPL 3.0. with a mission to disrupt the consumer loans segment. Existing BNPL players are financing an average basket size of around 100 EUR. Leanpay is focused on the segment of bigger purchases up to 10.000 EURm, with an average basket size 5x bigger compared to BNPL 2.0 players. Today, the segment of financing bigger purchases is mostly covered with traditional consumer loans provided by banks. Leanpay is able to disrupt the segment because it is a regulated credit company with high competencies in providing in-depth credit analysis for its clients, preventing over-indebtedness and assuring Leanpay position as a responsible lender.

Leanpay is a BNPL provider for online and in-store consumer purchases ranging from EUR 50 to EUR 5,000 (approx. USD 60 to USD 5,900), focused on the Central and Eastern European markets (CEE), with payment options up to 48 installments. The company differentiates itself from its peers by focusing on the consumer electronics, home furnishings, furniture, and sports equipment segments, leading to a higher average cart value. The company claims its average cart value is approximately three times that of BNPL leader Klarna.

Buy Now, Pay Later

Leanpay bags in EUR 10 mln Series B funding

Leanpay is a BNPL provider for online and in-store consumer purchases ranging from EUR 50 to EUR 5,000 (approx. USD 60 to USD 5,900), focused on the Central and Eastern European markets (CEE), with payment options up to 48 installments. The company differentiates itself from its peers by focusing on the consumer electronics, home furnishings, furniture, and sports equipment segments, leading to a higher average cart value. The company claims its average cart value is approximately three times that of BNPL leader Klarna.Leanpay is equipped with a self-developed risk model, which continually manages and adjusts to local market conditions using machine learning algorithms. As of early 2020, the company served over 20,000 customers in Slovenia and Croatia, and had partnerships with over 400 online shops as of November 2021.Key competitors: None comparable (Leanpay has a unique operational presence for its BNPL offering for consumer electronics, home furnishings, furniture, and sports equipment)

Openpay is an Australian BNPL platform launched in 2016 offering flexible payment plans with deferments ranging between 2-24 months for transactions from AUD 50 to AUD 20,000 (approximately USD 36-USD 14,600). The platform focuses on the automotive, healthcare, home improvement, memberships, and education industries. In December 2019, Openpay was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, raising AUD 50 million (approximately USD 35 million) in the process. This was roughly two years after it had to abruptly cancel its initial IPO plans and raised AUD 10 million (approximately USD 8 million) instead.Openpay’s B2C solution offers equal weekly and bi-weekly installment plans at no interest, with longer terms typically offered for larger ticket purchases. Its proprietary risk management technology drives the platform’s credit decisions, and it integrates with leading e-commerce platforms such as Shopify, PrestaShop, Magento, and WooCommerce. Furthermore, Openpay has a B2B trade account management solution that is separate from its BNPL service.Openpay generates revenue through merchant fees, which represent a percentage of the transaction value, customer fees (including late fees), an initial establishment fee, and a recurring plan management fee.Initially available in Australia and New Zealand, Openpay expanded its operations to the UK in June 2019, followed by a US launch in December 2020 under the brand Opy. However, it withdrew from the UK BNPL market in March 2022 citing its inability to compete in the market. It also revealed that it will continue to offer longer-term repayment plans for dental procedures and car repairs in the UK through partnerships.Key customers and partnershipsIt entered the veterinary market in the US via a partnership with ezyVet, which provides cloud-based software for veterinary professionals, and its plans are expected to be available on ezyVet platforms by early FY2022 in the US. It partnered with contactless payments firm Everyware in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/5954">October 2021 </a>to offer the first-ever Pay-by-Text BNPL solution, followed by a tie up with American Express in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7084">December 2021 </a>.Openpay secured a strategic partnership with the payments processor Worldpay and Cross River Bank. As a result, Openpay’s payment plans were integrated with Worldpay’s payment gateway as the merchant acquirer for Openpay in the US, while Cross River was expected to serve as <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/5806">Openpay’s lender </a>for consumer financing loans to US customers, meaning it will fund and originate all loans on Openpay’s US platform. However, in July 2022, Openpay announced that it’s ceasing operations in the US market owing to economic headwinds stemming from rising interest rates and deteriorating consumer sentiment.

Openpay

PrimaHealth Credit (PrimaHealth) is a BNPL solution designated for elective medical procedures such as cataract surgery, orthodontic work, dental care, LASIK, and addiction treatment. PrimaHealth’s credit decision-making is handled in-house using proprietary credit underwriting models. With PrimaHealth, patients would pay 25% to 50% of the cost upfront, and the residual cost, running from USD 300 to USD 24,000, can be repaid over 2-4 months. PrimaHealth’s interest rates range from around 0% to 25% APR with an average loan size of USD 1,800 across all types of procedures.As of December 2020, PrimaHealth was available in Arizona, California, Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas, and plans to expand across all 50 states by 2021.

PrimaHealth Credit

Laybuy is a New Zealand-based BNPL provider offering its services in Australia, the US (beta launched in December 2020), and the UK through a partnership with the streetwear retailer Footasylum in 2019. The platform partners with Experian, a multinational credit bureau, to help with its credit decision-making. Through Laybuy, users can make online or in-store purchases over six weekly payments with no interest charges if paid on time. The in-store offering is facilitated by Laybuy’s “Tap to Pay'' digital card, available in Australia and New Zealand as of March 2021 and launched in August 2021 in the UK. The platform has an average customer transaction limit of GBP 240, and any missed payments will result in the user account being suspended and a late fee of USD 10.In FY2022, the platform reported gross merchandise volume (GMV) of NZD 868 million (~USD 600 million), reflecting 47% YoY growth. The platform’s revenue grew by 45% YoY to NZD 47.1 million (~USD 32.8 million). The UK operation accounted for the majority (~60%) of GMV in FY2022, improving on its ~50% share last year. The company also revealed that total active customers increased 23% YoY to 931,000, while total active merchants grew 50% YoY to 13,700. Laybuy was listed on the ASX from September 2020 to March 2023, after which it was <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15915">delisted</a>.Laybuy issued <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/30597">receivership notice</a> in June 2024 due to financial pressures and economic challenges affecting its operations in New Zealand and Australia. The company stated that Laybuy Group Holdings Limited, Laybuy Holdings Limited, and Laybuy Australia Pty Limited were placed for receivership on 17 June and that its UK entities remain unaffected.Key customers and partnershipsIn May 2023, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/976316">​​ </a>Laybuy collaborated with New Zealand-based Centrix, a credit bureau, to develop a credit reporting system, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18326">PayWatch </a>. The company also <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18595">partnered with Eventfinda </a>, an event ticketing and marketing platform, to embed its BNPL solution and offer flexible payment options for event tickets. Laybuy secured partnerships with merchants such as Rakuten, AWIN, and Sovrn, giving users access to more than 5,000 merchants in the UK, including WHSmith, Asos, Nike, Marks &amp; Spencer, Amazon, and eBay.

Laybuy

Tamara is a Saudi Arabian BNPL platform provider offering customers the option to pay in 30 days or in three installments over 60 days at zero interest, making it Shariah-compliant. Tamara settles payments with merchants weekly for a commission-based fee, charging a late payment penalty of SAR 25 (approximately USD 7) from customers. These charges are capped at a lower rate between SAR 150 or 25% of the total transaction value. In September 2020, Tamara established a partnership with the e-commerce platform Salla, extending its reach to more than 10,000 merchants on the platform. As of June 2021, it operates in Saudi Arabia and the UAE with offices in Germany and Vietnam. In July 2023, Tamara <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19954">secured a permit </a>to operate its flexible payment services from the Saudi Central Bank following a trial period of operation within the Saudi Arabian regulatory framework.Key customers and partnershipsThe company claims to be the market leader in the BNPL space in Saudi. It reported that its transaction volume grew 170% month-on-month and its customer base increased 180% month-on-month over the six months preceding its Series A round. As of January 2023, the platform had serviced over 9 million registered users and had over 30,000 merchant partners, including partnerships with firms such as IKEA, Jarir, Shein and Namshi.<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27305">In March 2024</a>, Tamara partnered with UK-based <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/615710">Uqudo</a>, a digital identity verification platform, to enhance privacy and security on digital transactions. <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25271">In January 2023</a>, the company partnered with Egypt-based <a href="https://sp-edge.com/companies/497895">Paymob</a>, a payment gateway platform, to provide an integrated solution that facilitated installment payments for customers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.Funding and financialsIn <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24016">November 2023</a>, Tamara secured up to USD 250 million in debt financing from Goldman Sachs and Shorooq Partners. It comprises an incremental debt financing of USD 200 million of senior debt provided by Goldman Sachs (bringing its senior warehouse facility up to USD 350 million, an increase from USD 150 million raised in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17139">March 2023</a>) and USD 50 million mezzanine tranche led by Shorooq Partners, which brings the total warehouse facility up to USD 400 million. The company earmarked the funds to service its growing BNPL product demand and invest in developing new products and services.

Tamara

Fly Now Pay Later is a UK-based consumer credit provider regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The platform provides its services exclusively to the travel sector through a direct-to-consumer app (Anywhere) and an integrated checkout solution. The platform allows consumers to spread the cost of travel over a maximum of 12 months, with a limit of GBP 3,000 (approximately USD 4,200). The plans’ interest rates vary depending on the applicant's borrowing history; therefore, users may incur a one-off credit transaction fee. The payment plans can be applied to flight bookings, hotels, and car hires.The company has partnered with travel brands such as Lastminute.com, TravelUp, Kayak, LycaFly, and Trivago.The company secured GBP 55 million (approx. USD 75 million) in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates?industryIds=58">debt funding </a>from Atalaya Capital Management. The round follows its extended Series A round worth GBP 10 million (approx. USD 14 million) in May 2021. The debt infusion is earmarked to support its expansion efforts in the US, which it entered into in 2020.

Fly Now Pay Later

The providers plug into merchant checkouts and convert business purchases into installments.

These platforms integrate with the merchant’s e-commerce checkout and primarily offer the BNPL solution through their app. Consumers are restricted to shopping at merchants integrated with the provider in most cases.

These providers integrate with the merchant’s e-commerce checkout. The service is offered through the provider’s app or a virtual card that facilitates in-store application, including non-partnered retailers.

These companies offer merchants and financial institutions a white-label product to provide in-house BNPL solutions.

Solutions can use AI/ML to improve the quality of underwriting tools used in assessing consumers

Use of blockchain technology for customer screening is an emerging area

<div>
 
 Slovenia's Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) provider, Leanpay, has recently garnered EUR 10 million (equivalent to ~USD 10.8 million) in a Series B funding initiative, which was jointly spearheaded by BlackPeak Capital and Catalyst Romania Fund II. Investment also came from South Central Ventures and Lead Ventures. The accumulated funding of Leanpay now closely touches upon USD 17.2 million. 
 This financial boost will allow Leanpay to widen its operations, bring about new offerings, enlarge its manpower, and solidify its market standing in Slovenia, Romania, and Hungary. Further, it will aid in bettering Leanpay's capital organization and lowering its collective financial risk.
 Currently, Leanpay boasts of having an impressive user base of over 120,000 with more than EUR 200 million ( ~USD 216.7 million) in consumer loan issues - made possible due to their association with over 1,500 merchant partners. The company has reported an enviable rise in its revenue - over 2.5 times Year on Year (YoY) growth and over 4 times revenue surge since its Series A funding round in November 2021.
 
</div>

Leanpay

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