Bento for Business ( Business Bentofor Com), a technology company that democratizes expensive and bulky big business financial solutions for small businesses, today announced that it has closed $2. 5M Seed Funding Round led by the Anthemis Group Other participants of the round include Blumberg Capital, LionBird and Pivot Investment Partners.
The company will apply the funds primarily to corporate infrastructure and product development. At the beginning of March, Bento will launch the first in a series of small business financial services technology solutions.
Unlike traditional banks, which typically discard large-scale offerings for small business clients, Bento’s platform combines advanced features and security with an intuitive interface that makes it simple and affordable for small business owners to manage their businesses and spend their employees on business. Bento’s suite of solutions will provide the security and functionality of a bank with the usability and intuitive interface of a modern technology company.
Bento’s CEO and co-founder is Farhan Ahmad, a long-standing veteran financial services industry executive at institutions such as Barclays, Discover, and JPMorgan Chase, as well as other start-up companies.
‘Most financial institutions simply do not have the offerings to meet the real needs of today’s small business owner,’ Ahmad said. ‘Instead, small business customers end up being forced into either big business or consumer offerings. Cash, checks or gift cards do not stop ‘leaks’ or give owners more control, and credit cards can negatively affect the personal credit of a small business owner. Big corporations have always had better options, but at a high administrative and financial cost that made them out of reach for smaller firms. Our vision for Bento is to offer small businesses a mix of financial services technology – ranging from employee expense management to invoicing and accounting to lending – and to allow them to choose and customize the services that are right for them, much like a bento box. ”
‘We are looking for strong entrepreneurs who have a strong sense of what the market needs not just now, but along the way—as well as someone who has a solid track record of success,’ said Nadeem Shaikh, Founder and Managing Director of Anthemis Group. ‘This is exactly the combination we found with Bento for Business and Farhan Ahmad We are happy to be on board and look forward to the success of the company. ”
‘We are thrilled that we have been able to secure funding—and support—from this stellar group of industry experts,’ Ahmad said. ‘The funds they have invested will allow us to focus on building our team and our product suite, while their belief in our vision and their connections to the market will also play a major role in ensuring that Bento hits the ground running. ”
For more information or to talk to Bento about the upcoming product launch, go to
Arpit Jain
Based in Japan and India. Has led to 1 successful fundraise in Japan. Been working the space of Venture Capital and Private Equity for the last 3 years.
