A Noodle, a fintech that acts as a financial platform for the creative economy, received an investmentseed of R$ 5 million with participation fromQED Investors– North American fund that has already invested in unicorns such as Nubank, Loft, Quinto Andar and Creditas.
A Noodle, which has credit offering as its main focus, has structured itself as a financial solutions hub for the creative economy – including digital creators, artists, record labels, influencers, production companies, events, among others. A startup, founded in 2020, has already impacted over 50,000 creators.
Additionally, the fintech has major industry names as clients: Kondzilla, PineappleStorm, and BR Media Group. In total, Noodle has made R$ 300 million in payments to creators and has invested over R$ 20 million in projects.
Among the innovations that Noodle brought to the market are simplification and reliability so that creators and projects in the sector can obtain funding. This includes credit for artists, record labels, influencers, and other players in the entertainment industry, with products that maintain near 0% default rates thanks to the unique payment infrastructure in the market.
A Noodle uses AI based on social metrics, such as followers, engagement, plays, and content, as well as financial data to set a credit limit for content creators. The platform also allows users to be paid in hours for "publications" and campaigns that often take months to be paid, as well as the possibility of advancing up to 1 year of revenue from platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch.Fintech is an all-in-one alternative to traditional banks, allowing agencies and platforms to automate their payments, close currency exchanges, and invest in their talents without touching their cash flow.
“We are focused on taking the creative economy to the next level. The investment will be directed towards developing products that meet the specific needs of creators, offering financial solutions that go beyond credit. We will strengthen our presence in the market with a robust marketing strategy, while expanding our team to accelerate innovation and customer support. Our mission is to be the leading reference for creators, offering the financial support they need so they can continue producing and impacting the world with their ideas,” says Igor Bonatto, CEO and Co-founder of Noodle.
According to the CEO, hundreds of thousands of people in Brazil make a living from content creation, and many earn millions of reais. However, they face precarious conditions when served by their banks, which offer generic solutions and hinder access to credit. "To fill this gap, we developed a proprietary credit score, as traditional alternatives are incompatible with the reality of these professionals. Additionally, we are building a robust payments and financial intelligence infrastructure that will allow the money in this industry to move more efficiently and securely, further boosting the potential of creators," comments Bonatto.
It is worth noting that this round is strategic for Noodle. In addition to the R$ 5 million, QED brings invaluable expertise. The fund's track record of supporting companies in developing innovative financial solutions will be crucial for the fintech's growth. With this partnership, Noodle will be able to explore new opportunities and reach new levels of excellence.
“Noodle offers a valuable product that has seen rapid adoption. I believe that more and more creators will continue to invest in their businesses and seek partnerships with forward-thinking agencies that allow them to fund new projects. It is a true game-changer for the industry, providing a more efficient and effective alternative to traditional manual, unpredictable and time-consuming processes that have made it difficult for creators to invest in new projects and grow their revenue,” said Camila Vieira, Head of QED Investors in Brazil.
Experience and challenges in practice
Igor Bonatto, a filmmaker by training, experienced firsthand the difficulties the creative sector faced in obtaining funding for projects. After graduating in cinema and attending Vancouver Film School, he founded an audiovisual production company, demonstrating his entrepreneurial spirit from an early age.
As the production company grew and projects became more complex, the need to raise larger amounts also increased. Each attempt to secure resources brought frustration due to the enormous difficulty in obtaining funding for the creative economy," comments Igor, CEO of Noodle. Dreams and artistic vision took a backseat because daily life became a web of meetings, contracts, and spreadsheets.
This is a global problem in the sector, not just in Brazil. There came a moment when I realized that 100% of my time was dedicated to fundraising, so I thought: why not turn this into a full-time job? And that's how Noodle was born.
Igor turned the difficulties and lack of support in the sector into an opportunity. "Our solution is used by creators precisely because they lack the expertise to handle money. An influencer who starts monetizing their content, for example, needs to focus on recording videos, taking photos, attending events – they don't have time to manage their finances. We provide that convenience," he explains.
