Qapita Raises $5 Mn In Pre-Series A Round The funds raised will be channeled to enhance the team, accelerate product development and build clientele in India, Indonesia, and Singapore
By Prabhjeet Bhatla •
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Hyderabad-based provider of employee stock ownership plans (ESOP) and CapTable management SaaS solutions Qapita, serving customers in India and Southeast Asia, on Tuesday, announced that it raised $5 million in pre-Series A round led by MassMutual Ventures. Hyderabad-based venture capital firm Endiya Partners and reputed India-based angel investors including Anjali Bansal, Sujeet Kumar, and CEO of an India-based decacorn also invested in this round.
This fresh funding will be used to add engineering talent, accelerate product development and build clientele in India, Indonesia, and Singapore.
"Over the last six months, more than a hundred startups have agreed to onboard with Qapita and manage their equity ownership on our software platform. New features will help us address the pain points of not only startups and investors but that of all stakeholders in the ecosystem. We are looking to partner with various service providers including law, accounting & company secretarial firms and we will grow together by collaborating," said Lakshman Gupta, chief operating officer, and co-founder, Qapita.
Qapita helps private companies and startups record and manage capitalization tables (cap tables) and ESOPs. Qapita also aims to digitize the issuance of equity awards and shares.
"Globally, we are witnessing trends that indicate a convergence between public and private markets. Qapita is enabling this in the region through their solution – from cap table and stakeholder management to digital share issuances and liquidity solutions. We believe the team has the right combination of experience, understanding of regional markets, and product expertise to deliver on their vision. We are very excited to partner with Qapita and look forward to working with them as they build a category-leading company in Asia," shared Anvesh Ramineni, managing director, MassMutual Venture.
Qapita was founded in September 2019 by a team of experienced professionals - each with over twenty years of experience in investment banking, corporate venture capital, and technology sectors. Ravi Ravulaparthi (CEO), Lakshman Gupta (COO), and Vamsee Mohan (CTO) identified an opportunity to use systems and software to aid equity and ESOP management in private capital markets across the region.
"We are grateful to have like-minded investor partners and this is a strong endorsement of the team we are building beyond just the Founders. Wealth creation happens substantially through equity in the start-up ecosystem. Through our Cap table, ESOP, and Liquidity solutions, we want to enable Founders not only to offer equity to more stakeholders (including employees) but also provide faster liquidity. This will enable them to accelerate the flywheel of reinvestment into the rapidly growing startup ecosystem in India, and Southeast Asia," stated Ravi Ravulaparthi, chief executive officer and co-founder, Qapita.
Over the last year, Qapita has built its team to include senior talent from industries like investment banking, venture capital, and ESOP management. The team has grown from six people in September 2020 to over 30 people today, spread across various geographies in this region.
"India and the entire South-East Asia region already have a very vibrant startup ecosystem that is going to grow exponentially in the next few years with large capital inflows. Qapita with a stellar experienced team, customer traction, and marquee relevant investors has real potential to be a leader in the Cap Table, ESOP, and Liquidity Management space. Endiya is a launchpad for great product startups and our association with Qapita is the beginning of an inspiring journey which we are stoked about," added Sateesh Andra, managing director, Endiya Partners.
The Pre-Series A fundraise follows closely on the heels of its Seed Round led by Vulcan Capital and East Ventures in September 2020. Apart from Vulcan Capital and East Ventures, most existing angel investors including Koh Boon Hwee, Atin Kukreja, Alto Partners, Mission Holdings, Northstar Group Partners (Patrick Walujo), and K3 ventures also participated in this round.
