ICYMI fintech funding round-up: Union54, Themis & Sawa

At FinTech Futures, we know that it can be easy to let funding announcements slip you by in this fast-paced industry. That’s why we put together our weekly In Case You Missed It (ICYMI) funding round-up for you to get the latest funding news.

Zambian fintech start-up Union54 has raised $12 million in an extended seed funding round led by Tiger Global.

Union54 raises $12m

Other participants include existing investor Vibe VC and new investors Earl Grey Capital and Not Boring Capital.

Launched in October last year, Union54 offers card-issuing services in partnership with licensed card issuers in their respective countries, without the need of a third-party processor.

The funding extension comes after the African firm announced its initial seed round of $3 million in October 2021, which was also led by Tiger Global, bringing the firm’s total raised to date to $15 million.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

US-based fintech platform Themis has secured $9 million in a seed round led by TTV Capital, with participation from Felicis and existing investor Walkabout Ventures.

Themis provides workflow solutions that enable banks, fintechs and crypto firms to create a strong governance and compliance foundation.

The firm claims its platform aims to solve long-standing industry communication issues and will enable customers to accelerate partnerships “cross-border and cross-sector”.

Themis will use the new funding to hire key executives and forge more partnerships in the industry.

Founded by Neepa Patel, the company claims its technology cuts down on the operational, time management and financial costs associated with regulatory assessments.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

US fintech start-up Sawa has raised $3 million in its seed funding round led by Precursor Ventures, with additional funding from Allegis Capital, Commerce Ventures, Clear Heights Ventures and Slow Ventures.

Sawa aims to build a community debt servicing technology platform that will help prevent underserved borrowers from defaulting on mortgages and rent.

The firm says that the capital will be deployed to fund more behavioural science and machine learning research and to develop an online community of homeowners and renters.

“We are using science to increase underserved borrowers’ capacity to pay their bills by building a community support network to help them in a time of need and dramatically reduce their fears about financial emergencies,” says Charles Phillips, Sawa founder and CEO.