Creditbook 11M Tiger is a new venture that focuses on bringing financial services to small businesses in Pakistan. It has already raised a pre-series A round of funding. This is the start of a series of investments that the company plans to make.
Pre-Series A round raised
CreditBook is a Pakistan-based digital bookkeeping startup. Its mission is to make payment recollection three times faster, and to help users better manage cash flow and expense cycles. To this end, the company’s platform includes a pipeline of add-on features that help businesses grow.
In fact, the company is leveraging its latest funding round to expand into West Africa. It has also been named to the Forbes Asia 30 under 30 list for the year 2021.
The company aims to improve the financial performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country, and to solve one of the biggest problems facing entrepreneurs: lack of access to financing. This is made possible by developing a secure software product for millions of businesses in the region.
In a nutshell, CreditBook helps micro-entrepreneurs keep track of their transactions and manage their cash flow. It also sends reminders via SMS and WhatsApp. At the same time, it helps users seek out new ways to grow their business.
It is no surprise that the company has received its first major investment from Tiger Global. The firm has made a name for itself investing in billion-dollar startups, and backed nearly 28 companies in the past year. But it is also a major investor in the small business space.
Targets small businesses in Pakistan
Tiger Global’s investment in CreditBook is the latest in a long line of global investors taking a gamble on Pakistani startups. This year alone, the country’s startup ecosystem has seen at least $300 million in funding for new and innovative tech companies.
The company is a small business focused digital bookkeeping services provider. In its latest fundraising round, the company raised $11 million. It is backed by several prominent venture capitalists, including Tiger Global Management LLC and Sriram Krishnan. Other notable investors include Banana Capital, Better Tomorrow Ventures, and Ratio Ventures.
The company claims that its “next-generation” technology will be able to address a $45 billion unmet financing gap for small businesses in the country. In addition, the company claims that its cash flow management product, QisstPay, will let shoppers pay for items in installments without incurring interest.
The company also boasts that its products and services will make it easier for merchants to process and track their payments. These include a website that helps customers find local sellers and order wholesale from local manufacturers. Having a presence in Pakistan will also help them take advantage of the growing footwear industry.
Although there are plenty of opportunities in the country, many industries are struggling due to corruption in the government and limited regulation. A few new policies are creating business opportunities, including an increase in smartphone manufacturing.
Investing in the startup
Investing in the startup can be a great way to make money, but it also comes with many risks. This is why it is important to carefully evaluate the startup before investing in it.
Having a good knowledge of the industry and knowing the startup team can help you invest in a startup. You can also ask questions about the business plan, hiring schedule and mission statement.
Investing in a startup can be a great way to diversify your investment portfolio. However, you must consider your own personal risk preferences. If you cannot afford to lose your entire investment, you should find a safer option.
There are a few stages of startup funding that you can choose from. The first is the seed round. It requires the startup to offer something in exchange for your investment.
Seed stage investors enjoy a higher stake in the company and get a portion of the profits. However, the valuation can be volatile.
Once the startup has passed the seed stage, the next level is the Series A round. Investors in this stage have a better opportunity to invest in a large team and work with existing networks. In addition, they have the benefit of enjoying the fruits of the founders.
Later funding rounds are often raised by private equity firms. They usually pay a percentage of the startup’s profits in exchange for their funding.