THE Noodlefintech, which acts as a financial platform for the creative economy, received a contribution seeded of R$ 5 million with participation of QED Investors ^^^^American fund that has invested in unicorns such as Nubank, Loft, Fifth Floor and Creditas.
Noodle, which has the credit offer as its flagship, has structured itself as a hub of financial solutions for the creative economy (including digital creators, artists, labels, influencers, producers, events, among others. The startup, founded in 2020, has already impacted more than 50 thousand creators.
In addition, fintech has big names in the industry as customers: Kondzilla, PineappleStorm and BR Media Group.In all, Noodle has already made R$ 300 million in payments to creators and has already invested more than R$ 20 million in projects.
Among the innovations Noodle has brought to market is simplification and reliability for creators and industry projects to obtain funding. This includes credit for artists, labels, influencers and other players in the entertainment industry, with products that maintain a default close to 0% thanks to the unique payment infrastructure on the market.
Noodle uses AI based on social metrics such as followers, engagement, plays and content, and financial to set a credit limit for content creators. The platform also allows users to be paid in hours by “publis” campaigns that often take months to pay, as well as the ability to anticipate up to 1 year of revenue from platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Twitch. Fintech is an all-in-one alternative to traditional banks, allowing agencies and platforms to automate their payments, close the exchange and invest in their talent without messing up their cashier.
“We are focused on taking the creative economy to a new level.The investment will be directed to the development of 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 support to customers. Our mission is to be the main reference for creators, offering the financial support necessary so that they can continue producing and impacting the world with their” ideas, says Igor Bonatto, CEO and Co-Founder of Noodle.
Still according to the CEO, hundreds of thousands of people live from content creation in Brazil, and many even earn millions of dollars. However, they face precarious conditions when being served by their banks, which offer generic solutions and hinder access to credit. “To fill this gap, we developed a proprietary credit score, because traditional alternatives are incompatible with the reality of these professionals.In addition, we are building a robust infrastructure of payments and financial intelligence, which will allow the money of this industry to move more efficiently and safely, further boosting the potential of the creators, says 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 success in supporting companies in developing innovative financial solutions will be crucial to the growth of fintech. With this partnership, Noodle will be able to explore new opportunities and reach new heights of excellence.
“A Noodle oferece um produto valioso que foi rapidamente adotado. Acredito que cada vez mais criadores continuarão a investir em seus negócios e a buscar parcerias com agências visionárias que lhes permitam financiar novos projetos. É um verdadeiro divisor de águas para a indústria, fornecendo uma alternativa mais eficiente e eficaz aos processos tradicionais manuais, imprevisíveis e demorados, que têm dificultado o investimento de criadores em novos projetos e o crescimento da receita”, diz Camila Vieira, Head da QED Investors no Brasil.
Experience and challenges in practice
Igor Bonatto, a filmmaker by training, experienced closely the difficulties that the creative sector faced in getting funding for projects. After graduating in film and going through the Vancouver Film School, he founded an audiovisual production company, demonstrating early on his entrepreneurial vein.
“As the production company grew and projects became more complex, the need to capture higher values also increased. Each search for resources brought frustration at the enormous difficulty in obtaining funding for the creative economy”, comments Igor, CEO of Noodle. “Dreams and artistic vision ended up in the background, because everyday life became a web of meetings, contracts and spreadsheets.”
This is a global problem in the sector, not just in Brazil. “There came a time 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 was how Noodle.” was born
Igor has turned the difficulties and lack of support in the sector into an opportunity. “Our solution is used by creators precisely because they do not have the expertise to handle the money. An influencer who begins to monetize their content, for example, needs to focus on recording videos, taking photos, attending events & events & he does not have time to manage his finances. We offer this facility”, he explains.