Key Takeaways
- • Valar Ventures, Peter Thiel's venture fund, is leading a $40 million Series B financing round in Shares, a European investing app, according to Bloomberg.
- • The funding round brings Shares' total capital raised to $90 million since its founding, positioning the year-old company for accelerated European expansion.
- • Shares' fundraising demonstrates continued institutional investor confidence in European fintech infrastructure despite broader market headwinds in 2022.
- • The investment underscores Valar Ventures' strategic focus on early-stage European financial technology platforms with cross-border expansion potential.
Summary
Valar Ventures, the venture capital fund founded by Peter Thiel, is leading a $40 million Series B financing round in Shares, a European investment application platform. The funding round represents a significant capital injection into the fintech sector during a period of market uncertainty and reduced venture activity across technology investments.
The new capital brings Shares' cumulative fundraising to $90 million since inception. The company, which is described as approximately one year old at the time of this announcement, plans to deploy the proceeds toward geographic expansion across European markets. This strategy reflects the company's positioning as a pan-European platform designed to democratize retail investing across the continent.
Valar Ventures' decision to lead the round signals confidence in Shares' business model and market opportunity within European retail investment technology. The fund's involvement carries particular weight given Valar's track record in identifying and scaling fintech infrastructure businesses internationally. The investment also reflects broader momentum in European fintech despite macroeconomic challenges characterizing mid-2022, including elevated interest rates and market volatility that typically constrain venture funding activity.
The financing round provides Shares with substantial runway to execute its European expansion strategy while establishing operational infrastructure across multiple jurisdictions. The capital infusion positions the platform to compete within an increasingly crowded retail investing app market while maintaining focus on the European regulatory environment and customer acquisition across multiple countries.
The new capital brings Shares' cumulative fundraising to $90 million since inception. The company, which is described as approximately one year old at the time of this announcement, plans to deploy the proceeds toward geographic expansion across European markets. This strategy reflects the company's positioning as a pan-European platform designed to democratize retail investing across the continent.
Valar Ventures' decision to lead the round signals confidence in Shares' business model and market opportunity within European retail investment technology. The fund's involvement carries particular weight given Valar's track record in identifying and scaling fintech infrastructure businesses internationally. The investment also reflects broader momentum in European fintech despite macroeconomic challenges characterizing mid-2022, including elevated interest rates and market volatility that typically constrain venture funding activity.
The financing round provides Shares with substantial runway to execute its European expansion strategy while establishing operational infrastructure across multiple jurisdictions. The capital infusion positions the platform to compete within an increasingly crowded retail investing app market while maintaining focus on the European regulatory environment and customer acquisition across multiple countries.
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