05.03.24, São Paulo, Brazil: Webrock Venture’s portfolio company FinanZero (finanzero.com.br), the leading online credit marketplace in Brazil, announces today that it has secured a media-for-equity deal of 4 million USD with 4Equity, an investment manager that gives startups the option to exchange equity for access to premium advertising space. The transaction gives 4Equity a minority stake in FinanZero and is completed on the same valuation as FinanZero’s previous round.
FinanZero was founded by Swedish entrepreneurs Olle Widén and Kristian Jacobsson, together with Webrock Ventures, www.webrockventures.com. Total funding to date is 29 million USD.
The partnership with 4Equity will contribute to FinanZero’s growth and bring significant marketing resources to the company in 2024.
4Equity, www.4equity.com.br runs Latin America’s first media-for-equity fund. Its 360-offering covers TV, programmatic, influencers, podcasts, and out-of-home media, powered by partnerships including with major players such as unicorn Quinto Andar, Daki and Azos.
In 2023, FinanZero has strengthened its portfolio diversification strategy, reinforcing its focus on secured loans backed by real assets like real estate and vehicles, with favorable interest rates that allow consumers to deleverage.
During the third quarter 2023, secured loans represented 57 percent of the total volume of credit granted, compared to 35 percent in the corresponding period last year.
“The agreement with 4Equity will be essential for our growth strategy going forward. Over the past twelve months, we have been preparing our team and platform to scale and accelerate the business in 2024, a year in which we anticipate a substantial market improvement”, says Olle Widén, CEO and co-founder of FinanZero.
The ongoing process from the Central Bank of Brazil (BC) to reduce interest rates will prove advantageous for consumers. Such an outcome is expected to have a positive impact on the expansion of FinanZero’s loan offering.
Through Finanzero’s platform, customers can access loan offers from more than 70 lenders, including both traditional financial institutions and new digital banks. To date, the company has facilitated a loan volume of 1.4 billion Brazilian reais, equivalent to approximately SEK 3 billion.
About FinanZero
FinanZero was founded in Brazil in 2016, by Swedish entrepreneurs Olle Widén and Kristian Jacobsson together with the Swedish-Brazilian venture studio Webrock Ventures. The company employs a team of 70 and is headquartered in São Paulo. Its investors include VEF, Dunross & Co, Atlant Fonder, and Webrock Ventures.