Total amount raised
$372 Millions
Latest funding date
11/1/2021
Location
Tala has successfully raised significant funding through multiple rounds, attracting a diverse group of investors. The company offers a comprehensive financial platform that includes instant credit, money transfers, bill payments, and a secure digital wallet.
Keep reading to explore the intricacies of Tala's fundraising journey and the investors backing this innovative platform.
What Is Tala?
Tala, founded in 2011 by Shivani Siroya, is a global financial technology company headquartered in Santa Monica, California. The company focuses on providing accessible financial services to underserved populations in emerging markets.
Operating in countries like Kenya, the Philippines, Mexico, and India, Tala offers a range of services through its mobile app, including instant credit, money transfers, bill payments, and savings. The company leverages advanced data science and machine learning to assess creditworthiness in real-time.
With a workforce of 501-1000 employees, Tala is dedicated to breaking down financial barriers and creating digital financial identities for its customers, enabling them to access personalized financial experiences.
How Much Funding Has Tala Raised?
- Series A
- Amount Raised: $10M
- Date: September 2015
- Lead Investors: Chris Hughes, Collaborative Fund, DCVC, Female Founders Fund, India Internet Fund, Lowercase Capital, Nathan Gettings, Thomas Glocer, Vikram Pandit
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To scale operations and expand into new markets.
- Series B
- Amount Raised: $30M
- Date: February 2017
- Lead Investors: Collaborative Fund, DCVC, Female Founders Fund, IVP, Lowercase Capital, Ribbit Capital
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To enhance technology and data science capabilities.
- Series C
- Amount Raised: $50M
- Date: April 2018
- Lead Investors: Revolution Growth
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To expand product offerings and enter new geographic markets.
- Debt Financing
- Amount Raised: $15M
- Date: April 2018
- Lead Investors: Not publicly disclosed
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To support lending operations and increase loan disbursements.
- Series D
- Amount Raised: $110M
- Date: August 2019
- Lead Investors: Notable Capital, RPS Ventures
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To scale the platform and enhance customer acquisition strategies.
- Debt Financing
- Amount Raised: $100M
- Date: August 2019
- Lead Investors: Not publicly disclosed
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To increase loan disbursements and support operational growth.
- Series E
- Amount Raised: $14M
- Date: October 2021
- Lead Investors: J. Safra Sarasin, Kindred Ventures, Lowercase Capital, PayPal Ventures, Revolution Growth, Stellar Development Foundation
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To accelerate the rollout of new financial products and expand geographically.
- Debt Financing
- Amount Raised: $40M
- Date: October 2021
- Lead Investors: Victory Park Capital
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To support lending operations and expand into new markets.
- Venture Round
- Amount Raised: Not publicly disclosed
- Date: November 2021
- Lead Investors: Not publicly disclosed
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To further develop the platform and enhance service offerings.
Total Amount Raised: $359M. Current Valuation: Not publicly disclosed.
Key Investors
- Upstart
- Details: Upstart is an AI lending platform that partners with banks and credit unions to expand access to affordable credit. Founded by ex-Googlers in 2012, it is based in San Mateo, California, and Columbus, Ohio.
- Investment Focus Areas: AI-driven lending, financial technology.
- Notable Investments: Upstart itself is a notable company in the AI lending space.
- Stellar Development Foundation
- Details: A non-profit organization that supports the development and growth of the Stellar network, an open-source network connecting the world's financial infrastructure.
- Investment Focus Areas: Blockchain technology, financial inclusion.
- Notable Investments: Stellar network and various blockchain projects.
- Kindred Ventures
- Details: A venture capital firm that invests in early-stage technology companies.
- Investment Focus Areas: Technology startups, early-stage investments.
- Notable Investments: Coinbase, Postmates, Blue Bottle Coffee.
- J. Safra Group
- Details: A global conglomerate with interests in banking, real estate, and other sectors.
- Investment Focus Areas: Banking, real estate, diversified investments.
- Notable Investments: Banco Safra, Chiquita Brands International.
- IVP (Institutional Venture Partners)
- Details: A later-stage venture capital and growth equity firm.
- Investment Focus Areas: Technology, media, and internet companies.
- Notable Investments: Slack, Twitter, Snap.
What's Next for Tala?
Tala's future is brimming with opportunities, particularly in expanding its financial account experience and developing crypto solutions for emerging markets. With over $2.7 billion in credit already delivered to more than 6 million customers, the potential to serve nearly 3 billion underbanked individuals globally is immense. The company plans to leverage the Stellar network to create mass-market crypto products, aiming to bridge the gap between digital and cash ecosystems.
Future fundraising efforts are likely as Tala continues to grow its product offerings and geographic reach. The involvement of high-profile investors like Upstart and the Stellar Development Foundation indicates strong investor confidence, which could facilitate additional rounds of funding. However, Tala will need to navigate regulatory environments, ensure data security, and manage competition from other fintech companies and traditional financial institutions to sustain its growth trajectory.
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