Apis Growth Fund II Announces Investment in EZRA, a Leading Micro-lending Fintech

EZRA partners with leading financial institutions and platforms – such as mobile wallets, mobile networks, utilities and e-commerce companies – to offer a wide range of customized lending products including cash loans, token advances, airtime credits and device financing to their clients, all based on a single integration. These partnerships empower tens of millions of consumers and entrepreneurs in financially underserved markets through innovative credit solutions, allowing them to instantly borrow from a few cents to a few hundred dollars.

EZRA has built strategic partnerships in more than 20 countries in Africa by using its state-of-the-art predictive analytics and technology which offer rapid integration and high performance. It serves 40m+ unique users monthly and processes 2 billion+ of micro-loans annually. Partners get access to a world-class fully managed solution: product design, advanced risk scoring, loan management and a customer value management platform, allowing them to reach scale and profitability in no time.

As a result of this new investment, EZRA plans to accelerate its geographical expansion, growth and talent acquisition. It will focus on targeted new segments, particularly SMEs, which are the backbone of emerging markets’ economies and are still financially underserved.

The Fund invested in EZRA based on its exceptional potential for wallet share expansion and the clear opportunity to increase disbursements and revenues via its proprietary data sets. This enables EZRA to create unique digital loan products to meet the needs of the financially underserved population. This foundation has been built over the years on EZRA’s deep data and client moats and is supported by a proprietary technology stack, resulting in the ability to instantly underwrite credit more accurately and efficiently.

Matteo Stefanel – Co-founder and Managing Partner at Apis Partners: “We are thrilled to be part of EZRA’s journey; it is extremely rewarding to experience first-hand how embedded finance solutions can promote sustainable growth both for individuals and SMEs whilst enabling its partners to better serve their customers.”

Udayan Goyal – Co-founder and Managing Partner at Apis Partners: “EZRA empowers underserved consumers though embedded finance which is aligned with the Apis vision of creating impact. We believe the Fund’s investment will accelerate the company’s growth further, and we look forward to working with Erwan and the team through our investment in the company”.

Erwan Gelebart – CEO at EZRA: “At EZRA, we work hard to financially empower people who have historically been denied access to essential financial services, to uplift their lives and businesses. I am delighted that Apis has recognized our commitment to greater financial inclusion; I now look forward to working with the Apis team and building further upon EZRA’s global reputation for excellence”.

EZRA is a leading microlending fintech which partners with banks, mobile network operators, utility companies, and e-commerce platforms to deliver “easy and rapid” credit solutions in financially underserved markets. Its integration provides partners with credit solutions that can be adapted to each business’s individual needs. Moreover, its robust and proprietary credit scoring system allows EZRA to ensure that at least 60% of its partners’ end consumers are eligible for a loan.  EZRA is on a mission to contribute to financial inclusion in emerging markets. https://EZRA.world