ANoodle, fintech that acts as a financial platform for the creative economy, received an investmentseedof R$ 5 million with participation fromQED Investors – American fund that has already invested in unicorns like Nubank, Loft, Fifth Floor and Creditas
A noodle, that has credit offerings as its flagship, it structured itself as a hub of financial solutions for the creative economy – encompassing digital creators, artists, record labels, influencers, producers, events, among others. A startup, founded in 2020, has already impacted more than 50 thousand creators.
Furthermore, a fintech has big names from the industry as clients: Kondzilla, PineappleStorm and BR Media Group. In total, Noodle has already 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 is the simplification and reliability for creators and projects in the sector to obtain funding. This includes credit for artists, record labels, influencers and other players in the entertainment industry, with products that maintain a default rate close to 0% thanks to a unique payment infrastructure in the market.
A Noodle uses AI based on social metrics, as followers, engagement, plays and content, and financial institutions to set a credit limit for content creators. The platform also allows users to be paid by the hour for "publis" and campaigns that, many times, take months to be paid, in addition to the possibility of bringing forward 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 the exchange and invest in your talents without touching your cash
We are focused on taking the creative economy to a new level. The investment will be directed towards the development of products that meet the specific needs of creators, offering financial solutions that go beyond credit. Let's strengthen our presence in the market with a robust marketing strategy, at the same time that we expand our team to accelerate innovation and customer support. Our mission is to be the main reference for creators, offering the necessary financial support so that they can continue producing and impacting the world with their ideas, affirms Igor Bonatto, CEO and Co-founder of Noodle
According to the CEO, hundreds of thousands of people make a living from content creation in Brazil, and many manage to earn millions of reais. However, face precarious conditions when being served by their banks, that 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. Furthermore, we are building a robust payment and financial intelligence infrastructure, that will allow the money from this industry to move more efficiently and securely, further boosting the potential of creators, comment Bonatto
It is worth noting that this round is strategic for Noodle. In addition to R$ 5 million, the QED brings invaluable expertise. The fund's successful track record in supporting companies in the development of innovative financial solutions will be crucial for the growth of the fintech. With this partnership, Noodle will be able to explore new opportunities and reach new levels of excellence
"Noodle offers a valuable product that has been quickly adopted". I believe that more and more creators will continue to invest in their businesses and seek partnerships with visionary 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 processes, unpredictable and time-consuming, that have hindered creators' investment in new projects and revenue growth, says Camila Vieira, Head of QED Investors in Brazil
Experience and challenges in practice
Igor Bonatto, filmmaker by training, experienced closely the difficulties that the creative sector faced in obtaining funding for projects. After graduating in film and going through the Vancouver Film School, he founded an audiovisual production company, demonstrating from an early age his entrepreneurial spirit
As the production company grew and the projects became more complex, the need to raise larger amounts was also increasing. Each search for resources brought frustration due to the enormous difficulty in obtaining funding for the creative economy, comment Igor, CEO of Noodle. Dreams and artistic vision ended up in the background, because day-to-day life has become a web of meetings, contracts and spreadsheets.”
This is a global problem in the sector, not only 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 do not have the expertise to handle money". An influencer who starts to monetize their content, for example, you need to focus on recording videos, take photos, participate in events – he doesn't have time to manage his finances. We offer this convenience, explain
