The addition of cultural leaders follows Valora’s $20 million Series A funding and spinout as an independent, standalone company
Valora, a mobile crypto wallet that enables global payments and easy access to decentralized finance apps, announced the support of several notable investors as part of its Series A fundraise. Investors participating in the round include prominent cultural icons, athletes, artists, and tech investors including Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Combs Enterprises, Carmelo Anthony’s Melo7 Tech Partners, Kevin Durant & Rich Kleiman’s Thirty Five Ventures, Larry Fitzgerald, Derek Fordjour, Danny Green’s D&R Fund, Andre Iguodala, Nasir “Nas” Jones, Quincy Jones, and Casey Neistat. Valora is leveraging their cultural influence to put crypto in the hands of people around the world, especially those who are typically left out of the traditional financial system.
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Over the past several months, Valora has experienced several significant milestones. In July 2021, the company announced it will operate as an independent, standalone company from cLabs following the close of a $20 million Series A round from purchasers and partners including Andreessen Horowitz, Polychain Capital, SV Angel, and NFX, among others. Jackie Bona – who holds fifteen years of experience in go-to-market strategy and product marketing at high-growth internet tech companies including cLabs, Spotify, Twitter, and Google – was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of Valora during this transition. Additionally, Valora continues to gain traction and adoption among tech-savvy consumers and crypto enthusiasts in more than 100 countries across the globe.
“I’m thrilled to have such an amazing group of mission-aligned investors support our work promoting financial empowerment for people globally,” said Jackie Bona, Chief Executive Officer of Valora. “Valora is tackling the problem of accessibility for crypto, and we appreciate the chance to work with such an influential group of leaders whose reach will bring our innovative product and the opportunities it enables to the masses.”
The financing will support Valora’s mission to unlock access to financial opportunity so everyone can create and share value without barriers. Valora is using its capital to continue building and improving its intuitive, user-friendly product and the educational programs necessary to get more people comfortable using cryptocurrencies as a secure and efficient financial tool.
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“I believe financial empowerment should be accessible for everyone and this includes the ability to easily utilize crypto,” said Larry Fitzgerald, a philanthropist, investor, and 17-year NFL wide receiver. “The simple and intuitive nature of the Valora product that makes it possible for more than 6 billion people across the globe to access crypto via their mobile phones is incredible. And I’m excited to be a part of it.”
“This is a giant step in the right direction, both for global financial inequality and for crypto as a whole,” said Danny Green, of the D&R Fund and player for the Philadelphia 76ers NBA team.
“Valora is changing the game when it comes to digital asset payments and I’m proud to be an early investor to bring it to the masses,” said Nasir “Nas” Jones—a multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning, rap legend and avid entrepreneur. “For the first time ever, people around the globe can invest, send, and spend digital assets in an efficient, equitable way.”
“Valora is enabling underserved communities around the world to send and spend digital assets, breaking down burdensome financial barriers for those with the least financial resources,” said Casey Neistat, American YouTube personality, filmmaker, vlogger, and co-founder of the multimedia company Beme. “I am excited to be a small part of what the incredible team at Valora is building.”
“I’ve had many thought-provoking conversations with Jackie on involving more diverse communities in technology and blockchain in particular,” said Christopher Lyons, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. “When introduced to Valora, it was immediately clear the company could help us build a more inclusive financial system—and a no-brainer to help introduce the Cultural Leadership Fund network to support Jackie and the company.”
Valora leverages the power of Celo’s blockchain to make crypto accessible and easy to use. With Valora, you can send funds to virtually any phone number in the world for a fraction of a cent, get rewards on your stablecoin balance, and easily access decentralized finance apps—all from the convenience of your mobile phone.
The Valora app provides real utility for real people around the world, many of whom were first-time crypto users and are now exploring the power of DeFi. The Grameen Foundation, for example, used Valora to safely and efficiently deliver aid to thousands of female entrepreneurs in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. This emergency relief program provided digital access to groceries, medicine, and other vital goods to sustain their homes and businesses.
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Further, impactMarket uses Valora to facilitate the global distribution of aid via one of the largest private universal basic income programs in the world. This year, they’ve processed almost $6 million with 20,000 beneficiaries in more than 20 developing countries including Brazil, Ghana, the Philippines, and Zimbabwe.
Lastly, Corsali uses Valora to pay wages in emerging markets earned from digital microwork. Valora often serves as the workers’ first financial account and first experience with crypto. Workers in these emerging markets quickly grew to trust the new tool and started building healthy financial habits like saving.
How to get started with Valora:
- Download Valora from the Google Play Store or App Store
- Create an account and connect your phone number
- Fund your account with digital assets (cUSD, cEUR, CELO) – currently enjoy zero cash in fees in over 100+ countries
- Now with your Valora wallet, you’ll be able to do things like: send funds globally, receive rewards on your stablecoin balance, and access decentralized finance tools on Celo
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