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September 20, 2024

Aspire closes an oversubscribed US$100M Series C round led by Lightspeed and co-led by Sequoia Capital SEA

Written by
Ekky Pramana
Last Modified on
September 20, 2024

Aspire closes US$100M Series C round


Indonesia, 14 February 2023 - We are pleased to announce today that we have closed an oversubscribed Series C round. The round saw Lightspeed and Sequoia Capital SEA, Paypal Ventures, LGT Capital Partners and existing backers Picus Capital and Mass Mutual Ventures investing US$100M.

Aspire, founded in 2018, offers businesses a unified suite of financial services including international payments, corporate cards, payable and receivable management, accessible via a single, user-friendly account. We have quickly gained popularity in Southeast Asia, and recently tripled our annualized total payment volumes to US$12BL from over 15,000 businesses across the region.

“We are excited to partner with world-class investors to bring finance back to the driving seat of new age businesses in Southeast Asia,” said Andrea Baronchelli, Aspire Co-founder and CEO. “From delivering real-time financial data, to fast and transparent cross-border payments, to empowering business teams with world-class spend management capabilities to move fast and move right - we look forward to empowering every modern business, big or small, with the right financial tools to realize their full potential.”

Aspire plans to use the funding to enhance its product offering further and expand its regional presence, while increasing its team to continue to innovate in the space.

“Aspire has emerged as a leader in the B2B fintech space in Southeast Asia, with a complete end-to-end product for managing business finance, a strong track record of growth, and solid fundamentals,” said Bejul Somaia, Partner at Lightspeed. "We are excited to partner with this world-class team to support their vision for the future of financial services in the region”.

With the fresh round of funding, Aspire is well-positioned to continue its growth trajectory and cement its position as a leading B2B fintech in the rapidly-growing Southeast Asian economy. In 2023 the company plans to add more talent across the region and help further, build the SE-Asia tech ecosystem while maintaining a solid business model with best-in-class unit economics.

About Lightspeed

Lightspeed is a multi-stage investment firm focused on accelerating disruptive innovations and trends across all sectors. Since 2000, Lightspeed has backed entrepreneurs and helped build companies of tomorrow, including Snap, Hasura, OYO, Affirm, Razorpay, Grab, AppDynamics, Nutanix, Supabase, Byju’s, and Udaan. Lightspeed and its affiliates currently manage more than $18 Billion across the global Lightspeed platform, with investment professionals and advisors in India, Silicon Valley, Israel, China, Southeast Asia and Europe.

About Sequoia

Sequoia helps daring founders build legendary companies, from idea to IPO to beyond. Sequoia Capital India and Sequoia Capital Southeast Asia actively partner with founders from a wide range of companies, across categories, including BYJUs, CRED, Druva, Five Star Finance, Freshworks, GoTo, Groww, Kopi Kenangan, Mamaearth, Pine Labs, Polygon, Razorpay, Truecaller, Zomato and more. Sequoia spur founders to push the boundaries of what's possible. In partnering with Sequoia, startups benefit from over 50 years of tribal knowledge and lessons learned working with companies like Airbnb, Alibaba, Apple, Dropbox, Google, LinkedIn and Stripe early on. From the beginning universities, endowments, and other non-profits have been the backbone of Sequoia's investor base which means founders' accomplishments make a meaningful difference. For more information on Sequoia's work in India and Southeast Asia visit sequoiacap.com/India and sequoiacap.com/sea.

About Aspire

We are an all-in-one finance operating system for new-age businesses. We serve over 15,000 startups and SMBs in Southeast Asia, helping them save time and money with multi-currency accounts and cards, expense management, payable management, and receivable management solutions - all in one account. Headquartered in Singapore, Aspire has over 400 employees across four countries and is backed by global top-tier VCs, including Sequoia, Lightspeed, and Y-Combinator.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How can Aspire support the unique financial needs and challenges of mid-sized businesses?

Aspire offers a comprehensive suite of expense management solutions tailored for mid-market companies. This includes sophisticated corporate cards, advanced budget controls, and streamlined claims and approval policies, all designed to enhance financial efficiency.

How quickly can a mid-market company integrate Aspire's solutions into existing systems and workflows?

Integration with Aspire's expense management solutions is swift and seamless. Mid-market companies can swiftly implement corporate cards with tailored features, set up nuanced budgets, and establish streamlined claims and approval processes, ensuring minimal disruption to existing workflows.

How does Aspire compare to competitors for international money transfers?

Aspire excels in international expense management with FX fees up to 2x cheaper than traditional banks.

Global payments are offered by various providers through business accounts. Read our article to know more about types of business accounts and how to choose the best one for your business. There are many banks and fintech companies offering business accounts to businesses in Singapore. We have covered them all in our blog, you can click the links to view accounts offered by various banks such as DBS, OCBC, Maybank etc.

However, if you are a start-up or a growing business, chances are you may not meet the eligibility criteria for most of these banks or find their charges to be expensive for your liking. You can consider opting for Aspire multi-currency account for global payments which offers you all the benefits, with eligibility criteria which are less stringent. Read our article on bank charges in Singapore for a quick and easy comparison.

What level of customization does Aspire offer to meet the specific financial requirements of mid-market clients?

Aspire understands the diverse financial needs of mid-market clients and provides a high level of customization to tailor solutions accordingly. This includes the ability to customize corporate cards with specific spending limits, rewards, and benefits that align with the unique requirements of each client.

Additionally, Aspire's budgeting features are adaptable to accommodate the distinct financial structures of mid-market enterprises. The platform also allows for fine-tuning approval policies, ensuring they align with the specific workflows and compliance standards of individual mid-market businesses. This commitment to customization empowers mid-market clients to optimize their expense management in a way that best suits their financial goals and operational preferences.

Is there a minimum balance required for Aspire Business Accounts?

No minimum balance is required to keep your SGD, USD, EUR, GBP and IDR Accounts activated.

Can Aspire's corporate cards be customized to cater to the specific needs of consulting teams on the go?

Yes, Aspire's corporate cards are highly customizable. Consulting teams can benefit from tailored spending limits, travel-centric perks, and real-time transaction tracking, ensuring that the cards meet the unique requirements of professionals on the move.

How does Aspire support budget management for consulting projects and travel expenses?

Aspire's platform offers sophisticated budget controls that consulting companies can adapt to project-specific needs. This includes setting project budgets, tracking expenditures, and receiving real-time insights to ensure that expenses align with project goals.

What are Aspire Corporate Card FX rates?

At Aspire, we want you to pay the lowest rates in the market.
- Zero card activation fees
- Zero card transaction fees
- Best FX rates, up to 2x cheaper than banks

How does Aspire help consulting companies enforce expense policies and approvals for travel expenses?

Aspire streamlines the claims and approval process, allowing consulting companies to establish and enforce expense policies seamlessly. Customizable approval workflows ensure compliance with company policies and industry regulations.

Is Aspire's platform scalable for consulting companies of varying sizes?

Yes, Aspire's platform is scalable and caters to consulting companies of all sizes. Whether you're a boutique consultancy or a larger firm, the platform's features can be adapted to meet your specific travel and expense management needs.

How can I open a business account in Singapore?

For a business account in Singapore, Aspire is an excellent choice. With a focus on startup and SME needs, Aspire offers a seamless and transparent banking experience.

Benefit from their user-friendly online platform, no minimum balance or account opening fees, and dedicated support for businesses of all sizes.

Aspire is designed to streamline your financial management, making it an ideal partner for entrepreneurs in Singapore.

How long does it take to open an Aspire business account?

Registration with Aspire takes less than 10 minutes which you can do via our website or mobile app.

Once registered, we will get back to you within 5 business days on whether your account has been activated or if we need further documents from you.

Our account verification process varies according to the nature of your business. In exceptional cases, it can take up to 7 days to process your documents.

How can Aspire's corporate cards benefit my startup?

Aspire's corporate cards offer a range of benefits for your startup. Earn 1% unlimited cashback on qualified spends, simplify expense management, enjoy streamlined transactions, and gain real-time insights into spending. With customizable limits, integration with accounting software, and enhanced security features, Aspire's corporate cards are designed to empower your startup's financial efficiency and provide added convenience for your team.

Is Aspire suitable for both early-stage and established startups?

Absolutely, Aspire caters to the needs of both early-stage and established startups. Whether you're just beginning your entrepreneurial journey or have an established business, Aspire offers tailored financial solutions to help streamline your operations.

From managing expenses and optimizing workflows to providing valuable financial insights, Aspire's platform is designed to adapt and scale with your business as it grows. The flexibility and scalability of Aspire make it a suitable choice for startups at various stages of development.

Is there a minimum balance required for Aspire Business Accounts?

No minimum balance is required to keep your SGD, USD and IDR* Accounts activated.

However, we recommend keeping your subscription plan amount available on your balance to ensure you're up to date with your payment every month.*

To create a recipient or make any transaction on your IDR Account, you'll need to have a minimum balance of IDR 10,000 on your account.

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Ekky Pramana
is a seasoned writer specialising in business finance and management. With a writing history at Tech in Asia, Teknoverso, and various other publishers, he leverages his market expertise to empower and educate first-time founders in managing their businesses better.
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