Hard Yaka

Hard Yaka, Inc. is a private equity and venture capital firm established in 2010 and located in Crystal Bay, Nevada. The firm focuses on making early-stage investments in startups within the exchange space, particularly those that operate in specific market verticals or provide essential services across various exchange sectors, such as messaging and payments. Hard Yaka specializes in buyout and distressed investments, aiming to acquire majority stakes in companies involved in portable identity, payments, marketplaces for digital transformation, and regulatory technology. Through its investment strategy, Hard Yaka seeks to support the growth and development of innovative technologies and businesses.

Jun Hiraga

Partner

Greg Kidd

Co-Founder, Partner

Kevin Leiske

Partner

Katie Sullivan

Partner

Chris Lewis Ph.D

Partner

Past deals in Banks

Unifimoney

Seed Round in 2022
Unifimoney is an innovative personal finance platform that simplifies money management by integrating various financial services into a single mobile account. It combines a high-interest checking account, a credit card, and a Robo investment platform, allowing users to automate their financial activities effortlessly. Designed to optimize everyday money management, Unifimoney enables customers to maximize their passive income and build long-term investment funds without requiring significant effort. The platform also offers trading in equities, cryptocurrencies, and precious metals, along with insurance and credit services, all within a low-cost model. By streamlining financial management, Unifimoney aims to empower individuals to take control of their finances and achieve their financial goals.

MOVii

Series C in 2022
Developer of a digital financial payment application designed to make financial transactions convenient. The company offers a rechargeable debit card managed through an application and can work on any smartphone device through which users can buy digital content, pay utility bills, recharge mobile voice and data services, transfer money to other users as well as purchase online, enabling users to manage their money safely.

Aeldra

Series A in 2022
Aeldra - the world's first truly global consumer bank. Aeldra’s vision is provide access to global financial opportunities to customers all over the globe. Through a single App, customers will be able to seamlessly access all the financial products they need – interest bearing insured bank account, debit card, saving account, investment platform, credit card, home loans and other loans, insurance financial advice, and a lot more. Aeldra launched in 2020 with a focus on bridge banking between India and the U.S. Indians can now open an FDIC-insured U.S. bank account with a Mastercard Debit Card from India on their mobile. All customers needs to apply is a valid Indian Passport and Aadhaar number. Account opening takes less than 10 minutes through the mobile. Money can be transferred into the Aeldra account from India through the Liberalised Remittance Scheme of the Government of India, as to any other U.S. bank. In addition to transacting with the global Mastercard Debit Card, customers can do account-to-account transfers, real-time Peer-to-peer transfers, deposit checks, lock/unlock the Debit Card with one click, review transactions, and a lot more through the Aeldra mobile banking App. Within the next three years, we will offer universal banking services in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Australia to overseas customers and residents. Aeldra offers unmatched safety and security: • Customers’ funds are FDIC-insured up to USD $250,000 per customer • Mastercard Zero Liability against “unauthorized transactions.” • Mastercard Identity Check: EMV® 3-D Secure (replacing 3DS 1.0) TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST: The Aeldra Founders have more than 2 decades of experience in leading banks and global companies such as Goldman Sachs, ANZ Bank, Ernst & Young, McKinsey & Co. and Booz & Co. They bring deep expertise in regulatory and compliance. Their motivation for starting Aeldra is to make financial services ethical, easy and accessible to everyone, anywhere in the world.

MOVii

Series B in 2021
Developer of a digital financial payment application designed to make financial transactions convenient. The company offers a rechargeable debit card managed through an application and can work on any smartphone device through which users can buy digital content, pay utility bills, recharge mobile voice and data services, transfer money to other users as well as purchase online, enabling users to manage their money safely.

TransferGo

Series C in 2021
TransferGo Ltd. is a London-based payment service provider, established in 2012, that specializes in international money transfers. The company caters primarily to migrant workers, allowing them to send money to their relatives without incurring high bank fees. Operating under a digital account-to-account model, TransferGo offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional banks and cash bureaus, often ensuring same-day delivery of funds to the designated recipient. As a licensed payment institution regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, TransferGo is recognized for its secure financial transactions. The company charges a fixed fee for transfers, along with a currency conversion fee ranging from 0.6% to 1.5% per transaction, making it an attractive option for both personal and commercial money transfers.

ZELF

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Zelf is a neobank focused on serving Gen Z by integrating financial services into messaging platforms. It provides a streamlined onboarding process that allows users to issue a card and conduct transactions in under 60 seconds, all without leaving their preferred messaging app. The platform offers AI-powered voice control for various financial operations, catering to the growing preference for voice interactions among younger users. Additionally, Zelf enables users to create and manage invoices, as well as track and send reminders for unpaid bills, ensuring a convenient and efficient approach to managing finances.

Aeldra

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Aeldra - the world's first truly global consumer bank. Aeldra’s vision is provide access to global financial opportunities to customers all over the globe. Through a single App, customers will be able to seamlessly access all the financial products they need – interest bearing insured bank account, debit card, saving account, investment platform, credit card, home loans and other loans, insurance financial advice, and a lot more. Aeldra launched in 2020 with a focus on bridge banking between India and the U.S. Indians can now open an FDIC-insured U.S. bank account with a Mastercard Debit Card from India on their mobile. All customers needs to apply is a valid Indian Passport and Aadhaar number. Account opening takes less than 10 minutes through the mobile. Money can be transferred into the Aeldra account from India through the Liberalised Remittance Scheme of the Government of India, as to any other U.S. bank. In addition to transacting with the global Mastercard Debit Card, customers can do account-to-account transfers, real-time Peer-to-peer transfers, deposit checks, lock/unlock the Debit Card with one click, review transactions, and a lot more through the Aeldra mobile banking App. Within the next three years, we will offer universal banking services in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Australia to overseas customers and residents. Aeldra offers unmatched safety and security: • Customers’ funds are FDIC-insured up to USD $250,000 per customer • Mastercard Zero Liability against “unauthorized transactions.” • Mastercard Identity Check: EMV® 3-D Secure (replacing 3DS 1.0) TRANSPARENCY AND TRUST: The Aeldra Founders have more than 2 decades of experience in leading banks and global companies such as Goldman Sachs, ANZ Bank, Ernst & Young, McKinsey & Co. and Booz & Co. They bring deep expertise in regulatory and compliance. Their motivation for starting Aeldra is to make financial services ethical, easy and accessible to everyone, anywhere in the world.

TransferGo

Venture Round in 2020
TransferGo Ltd. is a London-based payment service provider, established in 2012, that specializes in international money transfers. The company caters primarily to migrant workers, allowing them to send money to their relatives without incurring high bank fees. Operating under a digital account-to-account model, TransferGo offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional banks and cash bureaus, often ensuring same-day delivery of funds to the designated recipient. As a licensed payment institution regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, TransferGo is recognized for its secure financial transactions. The company charges a fixed fee for transfers, along with a currency conversion fee ranging from 0.6% to 1.5% per transaction, making it an attractive option for both personal and commercial money transfers.

StandardC

Pre Seed Round in 2020
FOR BUSINESS CLIENTS - Access to depository accounts, insurance, and credit facilities - StandardC certification simplifies and streamlines the account application process - Electronic vendor and tax payments - Our platform allows businesses to stage B2B payments and taxes for online payments - Built-in compliance and fraud protection - StandardC protects companies from unlicensed grey market transactions. HOW WE HELP FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS - Lifecycle management for compliance intensive customers opens new markets - StandardC opens new markets to financial institutions and insurers by providing an integrated, scalable, and cost-effective way to conduct initial and ongoing due diligence - Qualified prospects delivered - Comprehensive pre-populated customer profiles, Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) pre-qualify applicants for business development and compliance assessment - Ongoing pre-transaction, KYC, Know Your Customer’s Customer (KYCC), CDD, Anti Money Laundering (AML) testing, and alerts protect financial institutions before a transaction occurs - Fraud Prevention - We find the bad actors before they find you - Burner phone identification, sanctioned IP addresses, foreign intermediaries, and blacklist entity testing are just a few of the measures that stop bad actors at the StandardC border - Streamlined Loan Processing - Simplified loan processing streamlines operations - Credit applications and credit memos are built into our platform for easy use by your clients and underwriting teams - Exam Analytics- CDD and transaction analytics streamline exam and audit prep - Our Blockchain Distributed Ledger assures data integrity and privacy. Compliance and transaction histories are encrypted in a fully auditable and searchable format to facilitate audit prep.

Cogni

Seed Round in 2019
Cogni is a digital banking platform based in New York that offers a comprehensive suite of financial services for businesses across Europe. The platform provides multi-currency business accounts and integrates artificial intelligence and machine learning to deliver advanced financial tools. Cogni's services are designed to automate and simplify virtual payments, making it easier for users to manage their finances. Additionally, the platform supports various lifestyle features, allowing customers to book hotels, flights, and movie tickets, thereby enhancing the overall user experience by merging banking, commerce, and lifestyle functionalities into a single application.

Prepaid2Cash

Venture Round in 2019
Prepaid2Cash is a Birmingham, AL based financial technology company that enables the redemption of network branded (Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Discover) prepaid cards, commonly referred to as open-loop prepaid cards. The Company’s web-based service (www.prepaid2cash.com) allows users to receive payment by direct deposit or mailed check. For more information on Prepaid2Cash, visit http://www.prepaid2cash.com. Additionally, for media inquiries contact info(at)prepaid2cash.com.

TransferGo

Series B in 2019
TransferGo Ltd. is a London-based payment service provider, established in 2012, that specializes in international money transfers. The company caters primarily to migrant workers, allowing them to send money to their relatives without incurring high bank fees. Operating under a digital account-to-account model, TransferGo offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional banks and cash bureaus, often ensuring same-day delivery of funds to the designated recipient. As a licensed payment institution regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, TransferGo is recognized for its secure financial transactions. The company charges a fixed fee for transfers, along with a currency conversion fee ranging from 0.6% to 1.5% per transaction, making it an attractive option for both personal and commercial money transfers.

Kava

Seed Round in 2019
Kava Labs Inc. is a developer of the Kava DeFi Platform, which offers decentralized finance services such as stablecoins, bonds, and lending across multiple blockchain networks. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in San Francisco, California, Kava focuses on enhancing interoperability and liquidity for blockchains, wallets, and exchanges through its cross-chain collateralized debt position platform. The platform is secured by over 100 professional validators, ensuring the safety of users' assets. Kava Labs leverages its blockchain expertise, having previously collaborated with notable projects like Ripple, Tendermint/Cosmos, Tezos, and MakerDao, to deliver innovative solutions in the rapidly evolving crypto landscape.

Uphold

Series C in 2019
Uphold, Inc. operates a cloud based money platform for moving, converting, transacting, and holding money or commodities. Its platform allows users to add funds to their account through bank transfers, credit and debit cards, or bitcoins; send or receive money to or from various members; convert their money in various currencies or precious metals; and hold funds in the currency of their choice for safe keeping, long-term investment, or everyday use. The company serves individuals, businesses, and developers, as well as charities, including nonprofits and non-governmental organizations worldwide. Uphold, Inc. was formerly known as Bitreserve, Inc. and changed its name to Uphold, Inc. in October 2015. The company was founded in 2013 and is based in San Francisco, California with operations in Braga, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Mumbai, Portland, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, and Shanghai.

TransferGo

Series B in 2018
TransferGo Ltd. is a London-based payment service provider, established in 2012, that specializes in international money transfers. The company caters primarily to migrant workers, allowing them to send money to their relatives without incurring high bank fees. Operating under a digital account-to-account model, TransferGo offers a cost-effective alternative to traditional banks and cash bureaus, often ensuring same-day delivery of funds to the designated recipient. As a licensed payment institution regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, TransferGo is recognized for its secure financial transactions. The company charges a fixed fee for transfers, along with a currency conversion fee ranging from 0.6% to 1.5% per transaction, making it an attractive option for both personal and commercial money transfers.

Cogni

Seed Round in 2018
Cogni is a digital banking platform based in New York that offers a comprehensive suite of financial services for businesses across Europe. The platform provides multi-currency business accounts and integrates artificial intelligence and machine learning to deliver advanced financial tools. Cogni's services are designed to automate and simplify virtual payments, making it easier for users to manage their finances. Additionally, the platform supports various lifestyle features, allowing customers to book hotels, flights, and movie tickets, thereby enhancing the overall user experience by merging banking, commerce, and lifestyle functionalities into a single application.

Cuenca

Seed Round in 2018
Cuenca is a FinTech company based in San Francisco, California, that specializes in providing digital financial services. Established in 2016, Cuenca operates a mobile-based application that facilitates various banking functions, including bill payments for utilities such as mobile, electricity, and water. In addition to bill payment services, the platform offers online banking features that enable users to securely deposit and withdraw funds, access savings accounts with competitive interest rates, and obtain loans tailored to their financial needs. This comprehensive digital approach allows users to manage their finances conveniently and efficiently.

Hal-Cash

Seed Round in 2018
Hal-Cash is a digital wallet platform that facilitates money withdrawals from ATMs using mobile phones. It aims to provide an efficient payment system, allowing users to send and receive money both nationally and internationally. The company's technological infrastructure supports a vast network of affiliated entities in various countries, making it easier and more affordable for individuals to engage in global remittances. Hal-Cash's innovative approach addresses the needs of the remittance market by enhancing convenience and accessibility for users worldwide.

Castle

Seed Round in 2016
Castle provides advanced fraud detection and prevention solutions tailored for online businesses of all sizes. By offering technology that was once exclusive to banks and large financial institutions, Castle enables various customer-facing applications—including e-commerce platforms, mobile apps, and cryptocurrency services—to safeguard user accounts against unauthorized access. The company's APIs facilitate account hijack protection by monitoring user behavior through device fingerprinting, keystroke analysis, browsing history, and numerous other indicators. In the event of suspicious activity, both administrators and account owners receive immediate alerts, empowering them to respond swiftly and effectively to potential threats.

Upgrade

Series A in 2016
Upgrade, Inc. is an online lending platform based in San Francisco, California, with additional offices in Phoenix, Montreal, and Chicago. Founded in 2016, the company operates as a neobank, providing access to personal loans and innovative credit products, such as the Upgrade Card, which combines the benefits of installment lending with traditional credit card usage. Upgrade focuses on offering affordable and responsible credit solutions to mainstream consumers while also providing free credit monitoring and educational resources aimed at helping individuals manage their finances effectively. Through its services, Upgrade enables consumers to gain a better understanding of their credit health and make informed financial decisions.

MONI

Seed Round in 2015
MONI Nordic Oy, based in Helsinki, Finland, offers prepaid MasterCards that enable users to make online and offline payments. Founded in 2013, the company focuses on developing accessible personal banking tools that allow individuals to pay for purchases, send and receive money, access credit, withdraw cash, and manage their accounts via mobile devices. MONI aims to bridge traditional banking with emerging technologies, incorporating cryptocurrencies into its services. By simplifying financial processes and reducing costs, MONI enhances user experience while minimizing the risk of fraud. Its technology is designed to be universally accessible, functioning on any smartphone or feature phone, thereby providing essential financial services to a broad audience worldwide.

Betable

Series A in 2015
Betable is the world’s first platform that enables any developer to legally offer real-money play in their games and apps on any platform or device. Betable is licensed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission and Alderney Gambling Control Commission to offer support and infrastructure to developers to legally integrate real-money gambling into their mobile and social games and applications. Betable provides world-leading security, fraud protection, player location, identity and age verification and account monitoring to keep players’ funds safe and to ensure responsible gaming. Betable was founded in 2008 in London, United Kingdom. It also is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

37coins

Venture Round in 2014
37coins is a bitcoin startup based in Sunnyvale, California, participating in the Plug and Play Tech Center's bitcoin accelerator program. The company offers an SMS bitcoin wallet service aimed at the unbanked and underserved populations in developing economies that lack Internet access. This service enables individuals to send and receive money using their mobile phones, facilitating transactions without the need for online connectivity. Moreover, users with Internet access can register as gateway operators, mediating transactions and earning fees in the process. Since its launch in March, 37coins has established partnerships in countries like Singapore and the Philippines, striving to enhance the accessibility of bitcoin through its innovative SMS technology.

Knox Payments

Venture Round in 2014
Knox Payments Inc. operates an online payment processing platform that facilitates ACH payments, allowing customers to pay merchants directly from their bank accounts. Founded in 2013 and based in Richmond, Virginia, the company offers a service called Connexus, which enables users to complete transactions using their existing online banking credentials, simplifying the checkout process without the need for creating new user accounts. This focus on speed and ease of use distinguishes Knox Payments from its competitors, positioning it as a convenient tool for fast online transactions.

Mines

Seed Round in 2014
Migo operates a digital Credit-as-a-Service platform designed for banks, mobile operators, retailers, and payment processors, primarily in emerging markets. Founded in 2014 and based in San Francisco, the company provides a suite of tools, including APIs, frameworks, and consumer insights, enabling partners to develop innovative credit services. Migo's platform enhances traditional banking and payment card systems, allowing enterprises to extend credit to their customers effectively. Additionally, Migo offers an in-memory analytics service that processes large volumes of mobile data, helping mobile operators monetize their data and assisting financial institutions in reaching more clients. Its services include credit scoring based on mobile behavior, fraud detection, customer identity verification, and risk analysis, all aimed at improving financial access and security for consumers.

Wyre

Seed Round in 2014
Wyre is a developer of a blockchain-based payment platform designed to change the future of how international payments are done. The company's platform provides real-time payouts, same-day transfers, and direct-to-bank transfers, enabling businesses to move money across borders from country-to-country at a competitive foreign exchange rate. Wyre's business owners can easily create an account and send money to any person or business without worrying about high foreign exchange rates, hidden fees, complicated payout timing, and high payment fees. It also provides onramps and off-ramps, foreign exchange, and crypto liquidity to users of various crypto projects including decentralized exchanges. Wyre was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA.

Balanced

Venture Round in 2013
Balanced is the first payment system designed for marketplaces from the ground up. We provide a feature-rich, fully integrated api that allows marketplaces to charge cards, escrow funds, deposit next day via ACH direct, and collect their own marketplace fees.

Coinbase

Seed Round in 2012
Coinbase, Inc. is an online platform that enables merchants, consumers, and traders to buy, sell, and store digital currencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. Founded in 2012 and based in San Francisco, California, Coinbase provides various products and services, such as a user-friendly website for transactions, digital wallets, and merchant payment processing tools. The platform allows users to connect their bank accounts to facilitate the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies. Additionally, Coinbase Ventures serves as the company's investment arm, focusing on early-stage startups in the cryptocurrency and blockchain sectors. With a mission to create an open financial system for the world, Coinbase has positioned itself as a significant player in the digital currency market.

Kabbage

Series B in 2011
Kabbage, Inc. is a financial technology company that offers small businesses automated access to funding through its online lending platform. Founded in 2008 and based in Atlanta, Georgia, Kabbage simplifies the loan application process by allowing businesses to submit their financial data online, enabling rapid approval and funding, often within minutes. The platform assesses business health using various data sources, including revenue and transaction history, to determine credit lines that can reach up to $250,000. Kabbage also provides tools like the Kabbage card, which allows users to make purchases directly from their credit lines at point-of-sale locations, and a mobile app for convenient account access. The company has evolved its services since initially catering to online merchants, extending its offerings to all small businesses by 2014. Kabbage has garnered recognition for its innovative approach and has secured significant funding to support its growth and technological advancements in the lending industry.
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