Valar Ventures

Valar Ventures is a New York-based venture capital firm that makes early-stage investments in technology companies worldwide, with a focus on fintech. Backed by Peter Thiel, the firm partners with global founders to navigate the challenges of building transformative companies outside Silicon Valley and supports them with strategic guidance and capital.

Amina Abrahams

Principal

Elizabeth Klein JD

Principal

Reuben Kobulnik JD

Operating Partner

Erin Ashley Porterfield

Associate

Michael Roth

Principal

Sahar Shirazi

Principal

Past deals in Retail Lending

Octane

Series E in 2024
Octane is a financing platform designed to facilitate lifestyle purchases, such as powersports vehicles, RVs, and outdoor power equipment, by enhancing the buying experience for consumers. The company employs advanced technology and innovative risk strategies to create a seamless, end-to-end process that supports customers throughout their purchasing journey. Octane inspires enthusiasts through its editorial brands, prequalifies consumers for financing online using its e-commerce tools, and connects customers with partner dealerships for efficient closing. Additionally, Octane provides comprehensive loan servicing to assist customers during the life of their loans. Operating as a remote-first organization, Octane maintains offices in New York, Irving, Irvine, and Knoxville, and collaborates with over 35 original equipment manufacturers and 4,000 dealer partners across the United States. The company has been recognized for its rapid growth, earning a spot on the 2022 Inc 5000 list of America's Fastest Growing Private Companies and being certified as a great place to work.

Panacea Financial

Series B in 2024
Panacea is a specialized financial services company dedicated to serving the unique needs of physicians, dentists, and veterinarians. It offers a range of products designed specifically for these professionals at all stages of their careers, including personal loans, student loan refinancing, practice loans, high-yield savings, and insurance products.

Kafene

Series A in 2021
Kafene is a fintech platform that enables flexible purchase options and underwriting for consumers across a broad range of products, including furniture, appliances, electronics, musical instruments, and jewelry. The company combines data inputs with artificial intelligence and machine learning to underwrite and approve payments through a digital payments ecosystem that includes app-based wallets. It provides near-instantaneous decisioning and ongoing servicing for merchants and customers, offering flexible repayment terms and a no-obligation return option if a consumer cannot continue payments, helping avoid traditional debt traps. By integrating payment processing, underwriting, and servicing, Kafene helps merchants extend credit while giving buyers access to purchases with terms aligned to their credit profile.

Velocity

Series A in 2021
Founded in 2020 by Abhiroop Medhekar, Atul Khichariya, and Saurav Swaroop, Velocity is India's leading financial solutions provider for digitally native businesses. It offers a range of services including term loans, revenue-based financing, overdrafts, payments, and analytics, enabling clients to access funds without equity dilution or personal guarantees.

Octane

Series D in 2021
Octane is a financing platform designed to facilitate lifestyle purchases, such as powersports vehicles, RVs, and outdoor power equipment, by enhancing the buying experience for consumers. The company employs advanced technology and innovative risk strategies to create a seamless, end-to-end process that supports customers throughout their purchasing journey. Octane inspires enthusiasts through its editorial brands, prequalifies consumers for financing online using its e-commerce tools, and connects customers with partner dealerships for efficient closing. Additionally, Octane provides comprehensive loan servicing to assist customers during the life of their loans. Operating as a remote-first organization, Octane maintains offices in New York, Irving, Irvine, and Knoxville, and collaborates with over 35 original equipment manufacturers and 4,000 dealer partners across the United States. The company has been recognized for its rapid growth, earning a spot on the 2022 Inc 5000 list of America's Fastest Growing Private Companies and being certified as a great place to work.

Kafene

Series A in 2021
Kafene is a fintech platform that enables flexible purchase options and underwriting for consumers across a broad range of products, including furniture, appliances, electronics, musical instruments, and jewelry. The company combines data inputs with artificial intelligence and machine learning to underwrite and approve payments through a digital payments ecosystem that includes app-based wallets. It provides near-instantaneous decisioning and ongoing servicing for merchants and customers, offering flexible repayment terms and a no-obligation return option if a consumer cannot continue payments, helping avoid traditional debt traps. By integrating payment processing, underwriting, and servicing, Kafene helps merchants extend credit while giving buyers access to purchases with terms aligned to their credit profile.

Velocity

Seed Round in 2021
Founded in 2020 by Abhiroop Medhekar, Atul Khichariya, and Saurav Swaroop, Velocity is India's leading financial solutions provider for digitally native businesses. It offers a range of services including term loans, revenue-based financing, overdrafts, payments, and analytics, enabling clients to access funds without equity dilution or personal guarantees.

Octane

Series C in 2019
Octane is a financing platform designed to facilitate lifestyle purchases, such as powersports vehicles, RVs, and outdoor power equipment, by enhancing the buying experience for consumers. The company employs advanced technology and innovative risk strategies to create a seamless, end-to-end process that supports customers throughout their purchasing journey. Octane inspires enthusiasts through its editorial brands, prequalifies consumers for financing online using its e-commerce tools, and connects customers with partner dealerships for efficient closing. Additionally, Octane provides comprehensive loan servicing to assist customers during the life of their loans. Operating as a remote-first organization, Octane maintains offices in New York, Irving, Irvine, and Knoxville, and collaborates with over 35 original equipment manufacturers and 4,000 dealer partners across the United States. The company has been recognized for its rapid growth, earning a spot on the 2022 Inc 5000 list of America's Fastest Growing Private Companies and being certified as a great place to work.

Kafene

Seed Round in 2019
Kafene is a fintech platform that enables flexible purchase options and underwriting for consumers across a broad range of products, including furniture, appliances, electronics, musical instruments, and jewelry. The company combines data inputs with artificial intelligence and machine learning to underwrite and approve payments through a digital payments ecosystem that includes app-based wallets. It provides near-instantaneous decisioning and ongoing servicing for merchants and customers, offering flexible repayment terms and a no-obligation return option if a consumer cannot continue payments, helping avoid traditional debt traps. By integrating payment processing, underwriting, and servicing, Kafene helps merchants extend credit while giving buyers access to purchases with terms aligned to their credit profile.

Octane

Series A in 2016
Octane is a financing platform designed to facilitate lifestyle purchases, such as powersports vehicles, RVs, and outdoor power equipment, by enhancing the buying experience for consumers. The company employs advanced technology and innovative risk strategies to create a seamless, end-to-end process that supports customers throughout their purchasing journey. Octane inspires enthusiasts through its editorial brands, prequalifies consumers for financing online using its e-commerce tools, and connects customers with partner dealerships for efficient closing. Additionally, Octane provides comprehensive loan servicing to assist customers during the life of their loans. Operating as a remote-first organization, Octane maintains offices in New York, Irving, Irvine, and Knoxville, and collaborates with over 35 original equipment manufacturers and 4,000 dealer partners across the United States. The company has been recognized for its rapid growth, earning a spot on the 2022 Inc 5000 list of America's Fastest Growing Private Companies and being certified as a great place to work.
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