Inventa Secures New Funding - a16z and Monashees Lead Round

Inventa Secures $20 Million in Series A Funding

Inventa, a Brazilian company operating a digital marketplace, has successfully raised $20 million in a Series A funding round. The platform is designed to facilitate the discovery and procurement of inventory for small and medium-sized businesses.

Investment Details

The funding round was co-led by Andreessen Horowitz and Monashees, with significant participation from Founders Fund, Greenoaks, Greylock, and Tiger Global. Angel investors Hans Tung and Carlos Gracia, both from Kavak, also contributed to the round.

Existing investors, including Pear VC, NXTP, ONEVC, MAYA Capital, and Alter Global, further bolstered the investment.

Rapid Growth and Seed Funding

This latest capital injection follows a $5.5 million seed funding round announced just three months prior. Inventa was initially launched in March 2021, demonstrating remarkably swift expansion.

Founding and Mission

Marcos Salama, the CEO, established Inventa alongside Laura Camargo, a former investor at General Atlantic, and Fernando Carrasco, a data science specialist previously with McKinsey.

The company’s core mission is to empower Brazilian entrepreneurs by providing access to technology, data-driven insights, and crucial credit facilities.

CEO Background and Market Insight

Originally from Spain, Salama possesses a background in mechanical engineering and gained experience at both McKinsey and Rappi before arriving in Brazil.

His time leading Rappi’s grocery division revealed the challenges faced by smaller retailers in securing diverse product assortments and accessing necessary credit.

Platform Functionality

Inventa streamlines the purchasing process for small businesses through its technology-driven platform.

The platform utilizes transaction data to offer personalized product recommendations and provides flexible credit terms – 30, 60, and 90-day increments – to retailers.

Suppliers benefit from the ability to upload products, manage pricing, and monitor sales performance.

Growth Trajectory

A key factor driving the need for additional funding was Inventa’s impressive growth rate, exceeding 100% month-over-month.

Target Market and Value Proposition

“Inventa is focused on reaching the 5 million entrepreneurs who operate small stores across Brazil,” stated Salama.

“Our B2B marketplace connects brands with these retailers, assisting them in curating product selections within the cosmetics, healthy food, and home decor sectors. Trending product insights further enhance the value of our recommendations.”

Current Scale

Currently, the company offers over 7,000 products sourced from 400 brands and serves a customer base exceeding 20,000 businesses.

Future Plans

The new funding will be strategically allocated to expand Inventa’s technology team – a significant portion of its 100 employees are engineers – and to bolster its sales and marketing efforts.

Salama anticipates substantial workforce growth, aiming to add an additional 400 employees in the coming years.

The company also intends to expand its brand partnerships to 10,000, deepening its presence in the cosmetics, healthy foods, and home decor categories.

Further technology development is planned, with the goal of eventually offering a free software solution for both small suppliers and retailers.

Competitive Landscape

“While Amazon, MercadoLibre, and Rappi primarily serve the business-to-consumer market, the B2B space remains relatively underserved,” Salama explained. “This represents a substantial opportunity, and we are well-positioned to provide tailored solutions.”