Motive Partners , a specialist private equity firm focused on building, backing and buying the technology companies that enable the financial economy, today announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire embedded/capital GmbH (“embedded/capital”), a leading European venture capital platform focused on supporting the next wave of financial technology innovation, subject to customary closing conditions. The acquisition is expected to close in January 2023.
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Since inception, Motive identified a whitespace opportunity to build a leading, fully integrated stage-agnostic investment firm focused solely on financial technology. In December 2021, having formed a strategic relationship with Apollo Global Management, Motive Partners launched Motive Ventures. Led by Mariano Belinky, formerly CEO of Santander Asset Management and founder of Santander’s venture capital business, Motive Ventures has invested in 5 companies to date. In parallel, embedded/capital was formed in Berlin. The team of 11 people is led and founded by Ramin Niroumand (“Ramin”) and Michael Hock (“Michael”), fintech business builders and operators turned investors. The embedded/capital portfolio consists of 9 investments to date, including Bezahl.de, Bunch, Februar.co, Getquin, Hero, Luca, Myne, Nelly and Pliant.
The combination of embedded/capital’s team with the Motive Ventures team brings together top talent from across the industry to seek to capitalize on the market dynamics and growing opportunity ahead as new financial technologies and business models emerge at pace. The combined Motive Ventures team, consisting of 14 people, will be enabled by its market proximity, with on-site presence in three financial technology capitals: Berlin, London and New York City.
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Leveraging Motive’s expertise, ecosystem, established IOI operating model and in-house innovation capabilities through Motive Create, Motive Ventures will continue to define and execute upon a value proposition that backs exceptional entrepreneurs’ visions and businesses. Motive Ventures focuses on early-stage investments, while Motive Capital Funds invest across growth and buyout. Both strategies focus exclusively on financial technology investments across North America and Europe.
Prior to founding embedded/capital, Ramin founded finleap, one of Europe’s most successful financial technology venture builders, which helped support the creation and growth of the European financial technology ecosystem. Michael joined finleap in 2017 as CFO and Managing Director. Together at finleap, Ramin and Michael successfully built 15 independent companies, collectively worth over €3 billion1. Since inception, finleap has built 2 unicorns organically (Solaris & Clark) and realized two of the largest exits in the European fintech industry this year (Penta was acquired by Qonto; PAIR Finance was sold to Pollen Street Capital). Ramin is also the Chairman and founding investor of Solaris, Europe’s largest embedded finance platform (also known as Banking-as-a-Service)2.
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