Valar Ventures

Valar Fund V is an early-stage venture capital fund managed by Valar Ventures, a firm founded in 2010 and based in New York City. The fund focuses on investing in technology companies, particularly within the financial technology sector, and aims to partner with entrepreneurs across the globe. Valar Ventures, backed by Peter Thiel, recognizes the growing potential of transformative technology companies emerging outside of Silicon Valley and aims to provide these founders with support tailored to their specific challenges and opportunities. Valar Fund V, established in 2019, reflects the firm's commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship on a global scale.

Amina Abrahams

Principal

Giff Carter

Investor

James Fitzgerald

Founding Partner

Andrew McCormack

Founding and General Partner

Erin Ashley Porterfield

Associate

Reuben Kobulnik

Operating Partner

Michael Roth

Principal

John Rees Selby

Principal

Sahar Shirazi

Principal

Past deals in Investment Banking

Shares

Series A in 2022
Developer of an investment application designed to make investing in shares a social activity. The company's platform is a consumer mobile application and social-first platform for retail investors, designed with user experience and community in mind, giving no-minimum, no-fee access to various stocks where new investors, can network and learn from friends and experts as a community, enabling investors to discuss investments and make investment hassle-free.

Velocity

Series A in 2021
Provider of banking and financial services intended to fund companies or offer credit based on their sales. The company provides a range of financial services including term loans, revenue-based financing, overdrafts, payments as well as analytics for businesses with zero equity dilution or personal guarantees, enabling clients to avail an alternative to venture capital or loan where repayments happen as a fixed percentage of future revenues.

Shares

Seed Round in 2021
Developer of an investment application designed to make investing in shares a social activity. The company's platform is a consumer mobile application and social-first platform for retail investors, designed with user experience and community in mind, giving no-minimum, no-fee access to various stocks where new investors, can network and learn from friends and experts as a community, enabling investors to discuss investments and make investment hassle-free.

Vauld

Series A in 2021
Hi there! if you’re reading this, you’re probably like us – have pretty much all your wealth stored in digitized (or soon to be digitized) assets like money in your bank, mutual funds, stocks or real estate. You probably have a financial advisor guiding you through your investments, a manager from your bank who helps you stay on top of your mortgage payments and a government that prints money responsibly to not de-value your lifetime of savings. But how do you know that the bank manager or your financial advisor has your best interests at heart instead of their own fee and commissions? Your contract explicitly states that they are not responsible for your loss even as they verbally assure you otherwise. How do you know that the digital assets won’t be hacked (traditional bank websites get hacked all the time)? Or that your physical assets won’t be stolen(bank robberies) or taken by fraud (enough examples in real estate)? Governments fall all the time, or change their monetary policies - and your currency today can literally have no value tomorrow (Indian demonetization, Argentina, Venezuela). How do you know it won’t happen to your country? Do you ask these questions? Well, we do all the time. To answer these questions and why we created the Bank of Hodlers, we have to dive into the details of how banking evolved. As early as the 2nd century BC, people who could save money started lending them out to people who could borrow and pay back with interest. Banking as an industry thrived in Italy and grew with the expansion of the Roman Empire. During the 20th century, developments in telecommunications and computing caused major changes to banks' operations and let banks dramatically increase in size and geographic spread. This consolidated the industry and gave the power to a few firms. Fast forward to 2007: their recklessness caused the financial crisis of 2007–2008 forcing failure of many banks, including some of the world's largest banks. The government let the banks live by infusing 1.2 trillion dollars of the taxpayer’s money into a handful of banks and in turn, created the need, wave of innovation and a community for blockchain and the concept of decentralization to thrive. Here’s Alan Greenspan (Chairman – Federal Reserve: 1987-2006), the guy who decided how much money to print in America, admitting that his model was flawed in 2008. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5lZPWNFizQ In 2009, something magical happened, Satoshi Nakamoto released his white paper which removed the need for a centralized authority to facilitate transactions in a purely peer to peer and decentralized fashion and making truly beneficial for every user holding the currency. Some governments, after looking at the threat that bitcoin poses, have decided to take an anti-crypto stance. This ensures the network effect doesn’t happen at a scale where it replaces their national currency. This is where we come in. At the Bank of Hodlers, we intend to treat your cryptocurrencies as a separate asset class and offer services to ensure technologies based on blockchain are usable as of today, negating the need for the network effects and government acceptance to come in. We give every HODLer the ability to completely bank on blockchain today. Every once in a while, there’s a technology jump so large that completely leapfrogs every existing solution out there. Blockchain is this technology jump and the banks know this.

Syfe

Series B in 2021
Syfe Pte. Ltd. is a digital investment manager based in Singapore that provides portfolio management, cash management, brokerage services, and wealth advisory. The firm focuses on creating customized, globally diversified portfolios for its clients by utilizing a proprietary algorithm that monitors and adjusts investments to optimize returns while managing risk. Syfe employs fundamental analysis to guide its investments in equity and fixed income markets worldwide. The platform aims to offer greater transparency and more efficient investment strategies, distinguishing itself from traditional investment management through the absence of high fees and hidden costs, ultimately striving for better investment outcomes for its clients.

Velocity

Seed Round in 2021
Provider of banking and financial services intended to fund companies or offer credit based on their sales. The company provides a range of financial services including term loans, revenue-based financing, overdrafts, payments as well as analytics for businesses with zero equity dilution or personal guarantees, enabling clients to avail an alternative to venture capital or loan where repayments happen as a fixed percentage of future revenues.

BlockFi

Series D in 2021
BlockFi, Inc. is a financial services company focused on providing wealth management products for cryptocurrency investors. Established in 2017 and headquartered in New York, it offers a range of services including the BlockFi Interest Account, which allows clients to earn interest on their holdings of Bitcoin, Ether, and Gemini Dollar. The company also facilitates secured loans in U.S. dollars, backed by clients' cryptocurrency assets, thereby enhancing liquidity in the blockchain asset market. In addition to lending and interest-earning accounts, BlockFi provides a trading platform for exchanging various cryptocurrency pairs and offers services tailored for institutional clients. By holding clients' digital assets with a registered custodian, BlockFi aims to deliver transparency and efficiency in digital financial markets. The company's mission is to address the evolving needs of both individual and institutional investors in the cryptocurrency space.

BlockFi

Series D in 2021
BlockFi, Inc. is a financial services company focused on providing wealth management products for cryptocurrency investors. Established in 2017 and headquartered in New York, it offers a range of services including the BlockFi Interest Account, which allows clients to earn interest on their holdings of Bitcoin, Ether, and Gemini Dollar. The company also facilitates secured loans in U.S. dollars, backed by clients' cryptocurrency assets, thereby enhancing liquidity in the blockchain asset market. In addition to lending and interest-earning accounts, BlockFi provides a trading platform for exchanging various cryptocurrency pairs and offers services tailored for institutional clients. By holding clients' digital assets with a registered custodian, BlockFi aims to deliver transparency and efficiency in digital financial markets. The company's mission is to address the evolving needs of both individual and institutional investors in the cryptocurrency space.

Syfe

Series A in 2020
Syfe Pte. Ltd. is a digital investment manager based in Singapore that provides portfolio management, cash management, brokerage services, and wealth advisory. The firm focuses on creating customized, globally diversified portfolios for its clients by utilizing a proprietary algorithm that monitors and adjusts investments to optimize returns while managing risk. Syfe employs fundamental analysis to guide its investments in equity and fixed income markets worldwide. The platform aims to offer greater transparency and more efficient investment strategies, distinguishing itself from traditional investment management through the absence of high fees and hidden costs, ultimately striving for better investment outcomes for its clients.

BlockFi

Series C in 2020
BlockFi, Inc. is a financial services company focused on providing wealth management products for cryptocurrency investors. Established in 2017 and headquartered in New York, it offers a range of services including the BlockFi Interest Account, which allows clients to earn interest on their holdings of Bitcoin, Ether, and Gemini Dollar. The company also facilitates secured loans in U.S. dollars, backed by clients' cryptocurrency assets, thereby enhancing liquidity in the blockchain asset market. In addition to lending and interest-earning accounts, BlockFi provides a trading platform for exchanging various cryptocurrency pairs and offers services tailored for institutional clients. By holding clients' digital assets with a registered custodian, BlockFi aims to deliver transparency and efficiency in digital financial markets. The company's mission is to address the evolving needs of both individual and institutional investors in the cryptocurrency space.

N26

Series D in 2020
N26 offers mobile banking solutions to customers in the European Union through its subsidiary. It provides international money transfer, investment, overdraft, and cash withdrawal and deposit at stores. N26 provides mobile banking services for customers. Its mobile banking services offer online banking that include making and handling of current accounts, fixed accounts, and other banking services, letting customers manage and control their banking details via a smartphone application easily. Maximilian Tayenthal and Valentin Stalf founded Papayer in February 2013, which later became N26, with its headquarters in Berlin in Germany.

BlockFi

Series B in 2020
BlockFi, Inc. is a financial services company focused on providing wealth management products for cryptocurrency investors. Established in 2017 and headquartered in New York, it offers a range of services including the BlockFi Interest Account, which allows clients to earn interest on their holdings of Bitcoin, Ether, and Gemini Dollar. The company also facilitates secured loans in U.S. dollars, backed by clients' cryptocurrency assets, thereby enhancing liquidity in the blockchain asset market. In addition to lending and interest-earning accounts, BlockFi provides a trading platform for exchanging various cryptocurrency pairs and offers services tailored for institutional clients. By holding clients' digital assets with a registered custodian, BlockFi aims to deliver transparency and efficiency in digital financial markets. The company's mission is to address the evolving needs of both individual and institutional investors in the cryptocurrency space.

BlockFi

Series A in 2019
BlockFi, Inc. is a financial services company focused on providing wealth management products for cryptocurrency investors. Established in 2017 and headquartered in New York, it offers a range of services including the BlockFi Interest Account, which allows clients to earn interest on their holdings of Bitcoin, Ether, and Gemini Dollar. The company also facilitates secured loans in U.S. dollars, backed by clients' cryptocurrency assets, thereby enhancing liquidity in the blockchain asset market. In addition to lending and interest-earning accounts, BlockFi provides a trading platform for exchanging various cryptocurrency pairs and offers services tailored for institutional clients. By holding clients' digital assets with a registered custodian, BlockFi aims to deliver transparency and efficiency in digital financial markets. The company's mission is to address the evolving needs of both individual and institutional investors in the cryptocurrency space.

N26

Series D in 2019
N26 offers mobile banking solutions to customers in the European Union through its subsidiary. It provides international money transfer, investment, overdraft, and cash withdrawal and deposit at stores. N26 provides mobile banking services for customers. Its mobile banking services offer online banking that include making and handling of current accounts, fixed accounts, and other banking services, letting customers manage and control their banking details via a smartphone application easily. Maximilian Tayenthal and Valentin Stalf founded Papayer in February 2013, which later became N26, with its headquarters in Berlin in Germany.

Stash

Series E in 2019
Stash Financial Inc., based in New York, operates a digital investing and banking platform designed to make personal finance accessible for everyday Americans. Established in 2015, Stash offers a mobile application that consolidates banking, investing, and financial advice, facilitating budgeting, saving, and retirement planning. The platform allows users to create personal investment accounts, retirement accounts, and custodial accounts for minors, with the option to purchase fractional shares of stocks, bonds, and funds without additional trading commissions. By simplifying the investment process, Stash has enabled over 5 million individuals to work towards their financial goals and enhance their wealth-building potential.

N26

Series D in 2019
N26 offers mobile banking solutions to customers in the European Union through its subsidiary. It provides international money transfer, investment, overdraft, and cash withdrawal and deposit at stores. N26 provides mobile banking services for customers. Its mobile banking services offer online banking that include making and handling of current accounts, fixed accounts, and other banking services, letting customers manage and control their banking details via a smartphone application easily. Maximilian Tayenthal and Valentin Stalf founded Papayer in February 2013, which later became N26, with its headquarters in Berlin in Germany.

LoanStreet

Series A in 2018
LoanStreet Inc. operates an integrated, online platform that streamlines the process of sharing, managing, and originating loans for credit unions, banks, and direct lenders. It offers LoanStreet that provides access to a nationwide network of lenders and investors, track the performance of their loan portfolio, and more grow and diversify their balance sheet. The company’s LoanStreet provides real-time reporting, standardized agreements, balance sheet management, and automated reporting. The company was founded in 2013 and is based in New York, New York.

N26

Series C in 2018
N26 offers mobile banking solutions to customers in the European Union through its subsidiary. It provides international money transfer, investment, overdraft, and cash withdrawal and deposit at stores. N26 provides mobile banking services for customers. Its mobile banking services offer online banking that include making and handling of current accounts, fixed accounts, and other banking services, letting customers manage and control their banking details via a smartphone application easily. Maximilian Tayenthal and Valentin Stalf founded Papayer in February 2013, which later became N26, with its headquarters in Berlin in Germany.

Stash

Series D in 2018
Stash Financial Inc., based in New York, operates a digital investing and banking platform designed to make personal finance accessible for everyday Americans. Established in 2015, Stash offers a mobile application that consolidates banking, investing, and financial advice, facilitating budgeting, saving, and retirement planning. The platform allows users to create personal investment accounts, retirement accounts, and custodial accounts for minors, with the option to purchase fractional shares of stocks, bonds, and funds without additional trading commissions. By simplifying the investment process, Stash has enabled over 5 million individuals to work towards their financial goals and enhance their wealth-building potential.

Stash

Series C in 2017
Stash Financial Inc., based in New York, operates a digital investing and banking platform designed to make personal finance accessible for everyday Americans. Established in 2015, Stash offers a mobile application that consolidates banking, investing, and financial advice, facilitating budgeting, saving, and retirement planning. The platform allows users to create personal investment accounts, retirement accounts, and custodial accounts for minors, with the option to purchase fractional shares of stocks, bonds, and funds without additional trading commissions. By simplifying the investment process, Stash has enabled over 5 million individuals to work towards their financial goals and enhance their wealth-building potential.

TradeIT

Seed Round in 2017
Trading Ticket, a startup based out of New York, wants to develop a suite of products that will help consumers become more active, and proactive, investors. TradeIt is a patent pending technology that is in alpha on a publicly listed publishing platform. TradeIt allows users to quickly and easily place orders with their existing online brokerage accounts from any website or mobile device. Developed by 3 leading financial technology veterans, TradeIt has built a robust technology platform that can be easily integrated and embedded into any website, mobile device or advertising unit. TradeIt has navigated the complexities of legal compliance and security concerns to allow for online traders to have safe, fast, frictionless ordering.

Stash

Series B in 2016
Stash Financial Inc., based in New York, operates a digital investing and banking platform designed to make personal finance accessible for everyday Americans. Established in 2015, Stash offers a mobile application that consolidates banking, investing, and financial advice, facilitating budgeting, saving, and retirement planning. The platform allows users to create personal investment accounts, retirement accounts, and custodial accounts for minors, with the option to purchase fractional shares of stocks, bonds, and funds without additional trading commissions. By simplifying the investment process, Stash has enabled over 5 million individuals to work towards their financial goals and enhance their wealth-building potential.

Stash

Series A in 2016
Stash Financial Inc., based in New York, operates a digital investing and banking platform designed to make personal finance accessible for everyday Americans. Established in 2015, Stash offers a mobile application that consolidates banking, investing, and financial advice, facilitating budgeting, saving, and retirement planning. The platform allows users to create personal investment accounts, retirement accounts, and custodial accounts for minors, with the option to purchase fractional shares of stocks, bonds, and funds without additional trading commissions. By simplifying the investment process, Stash has enabled over 5 million individuals to work towards their financial goals and enhance their wealth-building potential.

Deposit Solutions

Series B in 2016
Deposit Solutions GmbH, founded in 2011 and based in Hamburg, Germany, specializes in developing an open banking platform that connects banks and depositors across Europe. The platform enables banks to offer attractive third-party deposit products to their customers through existing accounts, allowing depositors to access competitive deposit offers without needing to open new accounts at different banks. This approach helps banks seeking funding to attract deposits from new markets and client groups, all while avoiding the complexities and costs associated with establishing and managing their own retail infrastructure.

N26

Series B in 2016
N26 offers mobile banking solutions to customers in the European Union through its subsidiary. It provides international money transfer, investment, overdraft, and cash withdrawal and deposit at stores. N26 provides mobile banking services for customers. Its mobile banking services offer online banking that include making and handling of current accounts, fixed accounts, and other banking services, letting customers manage and control their banking details via a smartphone application easily. Maximilian Tayenthal and Valentin Stalf founded Papayer in February 2013, which later became N26, with its headquarters in Berlin in Germany.

Stash

Seed Round in 2016
Stash Financial Inc., based in New York, operates a digital investing and banking platform designed to make personal finance accessible for everyday Americans. Established in 2015, Stash offers a mobile application that consolidates banking, investing, and financial advice, facilitating budgeting, saving, and retirement planning. The platform allows users to create personal investment accounts, retirement accounts, and custodial accounts for minors, with the option to purchase fractional shares of stocks, bonds, and funds without additional trading commissions. By simplifying the investment process, Stash has enabled over 5 million individuals to work towards their financial goals and enhance their wealth-building potential.

TradeIT

Seed Round in 2015
Trading Ticket, a startup based out of New York, wants to develop a suite of products that will help consumers become more active, and proactive, investors. TradeIt is a patent pending technology that is in alpha on a publicly listed publishing platform. TradeIt allows users to quickly and easily place orders with their existing online brokerage accounts from any website or mobile device. Developed by 3 leading financial technology veterans, TradeIt has built a robust technology platform that can be easily integrated and embedded into any website, mobile device or advertising unit. TradeIt has navigated the complexities of legal compliance and security concerns to allow for online traders to have safe, fast, frictionless ordering.

N26

Series A in 2015
N26 offers mobile banking solutions to customers in the European Union through its subsidiary. It provides international money transfer, investment, overdraft, and cash withdrawal and deposit at stores. N26 provides mobile banking services for customers. Its mobile banking services offer online banking that include making and handling of current accounts, fixed accounts, and other banking services, letting customers manage and control their banking details via a smartphone application easily. Maximilian Tayenthal and Valentin Stalf founded Papayer in February 2013, which later became N26, with its headquarters in Berlin in Germany.
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