Gr4vy Secures $11.1 Million in Series A Funding to Revolutionize Payment Orchestration

Gr4vy, a cloud-native payments company – the name is pronounced “gravy” – has announced the successful completion of a $11.1 million Series A funding round. This investment was spearheaded by Nyca Partners, a venture capital firm comprised of former Visa executives, and included participation from Activant Capital, Global Founders Capital, and Firestartr. This brings the company’s total funding to $12.2 million.

Addressing a Pervasive Challenge in the Payments Landscape

The core issue Gr4vy is addressing was detailed by founder and CEO John Lunn during a recent discussion. He explained that, drawing on his extensive experience in the payments industry since the mid-1990s – having previously worked at PayPal – a recurring problem has consistently surfaced.

Retailers frequently find themselves independently developing similar software solutions. As businesses grow and expand their operations, they often build what is now recognized as a “payment orchestration” platform. This functions as an internal routing system, directing payments to their intended destinations globally. However, maintaining such a system inevitably becomes increasingly complex.

Gr4vy’s Innovative Approach: A Cloud-Based Solution

Lunn articulated the company’s vision: “We identified the need for software that empowers retailers to manage and orchestrate their payments according to their specific requirements, effectively removing payments as an obstacle.” He continued, “Initially, endpoint SaaS connections were considered, but we determined that providing a solution allowing for self-management and seamless integration into existing infrastructure was paramount.”

Gr4vy’s solution involves deploying a dedicated instance of its platform within the cloud environment of the retailer’s choice – be it Google, Amazon, Microsoft, or even their own data center. This provides a platform for comprehensive control over payment flows, both on the front-end and back-end.

A Unique Combination of Cloud and Orchestration

This approach represents a novel concept, merging the benefits of cloud technology with the functionality of payment orchestration into a single, unified platform.

While Gr4vy will operate in a competitive landscape alongside companies like Spreedly and modo, it distinguishes itself by being the only provider to offer a dedicated cloud instance to each customer.

Benefits of Gr4vy’s Cloud-Native Architecture

This unique capability delivers significant flexibility in managing a payments stack as a company scales. It also mitigates risks associated with single points of failure or shared infrastructure. Furthermore, the platform’s deployment across multiple geographies, utilizing “Edges” closer to customers, can lead to fewer abandoned shopping carts, reduced payment losses, and improved adherence to local regulations. Centralized reporting, monitoring, and management are also key features.

Lunn emphasized, “We are uniquely positioned as the only payment orchestration platform built natively in the cloud, enabling retailers to expand and control their payment stack from any location.” He also highlighted Gr4vy’s provider-agnostic nature, allowing retailers to freely combine providers and payment methods without vendor lock-in.

Acting as a Central Hub for Payment Transactions

Gr4vy functions as a crucial intermediary between retailers’ shopping carts and various payment providers. By offering individualized instances, the startup provides retailers with dedicated cloud infrastructure.

Timing and Relevance in a Changing Retail Landscape

The launch of Gr4vy is particularly timely, coinciding with a significant shift towards online shopping accelerated by the recent pandemic.

Key Features and Advantages

Gr4vy’s platform offers a range of benefits, including:

• Flexibility
• Customized workflows
• A PCI1 Certified Gr4vy vault
• A universal API
• An easy, modern checkout experience
• No-code administration
• Centralized transaction reports

Industry Validation and Investor Confidence

Hans Morris, managing partner at Nyca Partners, stated: “John and his team possess an exceptional level of experience and insight in the realm of international payments. Their vision for what merchants require – a cloud-native tool for orchestrating and optimizing payments through intuitive interfaces, robust security, and streamlined implementation – is precisely what the market needs.”

Steve Sarracino, founder and partner at Activant Capital, added: “As investors focused on the future of commerce infrastructure, we are excited to continue supporting John and the Gr4vy team as they simplify payments orchestration for merchants and marketplaces of all sizes.”