Last Updated: 24 July 2025
European investment platform Lightyear has raised $23 million in a Series B funding round, led by NordicNinja and backed by Superangel and SpecialistVC. The round also saw continued support from existing investors Lightspeed, Metaplanet, Skaala, and prominent angel investors, including Bolt’s Markus Villig and Wise’s Lars Trunin. This latest financing brings Lightyear's total funding to date to $58 million.
The investment underscores the growing interest in fintech solutions that simplify investing across Europe's fragmented regulatory landscape. NordicNinja, recognized for its cross-continental investments, spearheaded the round, indicating strong confidence in Lightyear’s growth and the scale of the opportunity ahead. As the company co-founder Martin Sokk noted, "Our investors are alive to the size of the opportunity we have before us. This raise is also a vote of confidence in the product we’ve built, and that we continue to expand and improve."
The European investment market remains dominated by traditional savers, with EU households collectively holding nearly €11 trillion in cash. Similarly, in the UK, a majority of affluent individuals prefer cash savings to investment options. Lightyear aims to bridge this gap by providing intuitive, low-cost investment solutions that simplify cross-border financial complexities.
Highlighting the need for accessible investment information, Lightyear co-founder Martin Sokk emphasized, "One of the biggest things holding savers back from investing their cash is a lack of information." In response, the company is launching new AI-driven tools to empower retail investors by providing clear, concise insights previously accessible only through costly institutional subscriptions.
The funds from this Series B round will fuel Lightyear's geographic expansion, further product localization, and enhanced technological capabilities. Already operating in 25 countries with services available in 10 languages, the company recently entered the markets of Denmark, Sweden, and Bulgaria. The platform aims to become the primary choice for investors across Europe by deeply understanding regional nuances rather than simply translating content.
Looking forward, Lightyear plans to intensify its focus on product innovation, particularly through AI-driven investment intelligence tools such as "Why Did It Move?", "Bulls Say / Bears Say", and "Lightning Updates". These features will offer concise market analyses and context to empower investor decisions without costly subscriptions or paywalls.
Founded in 2018 by Martin Sokk and Mihkel Aamer, Lightyear was born from a vision to simplify cross-border investing for everyday European investors. The company rapidly scaled its operations, now managing $1 billion in customer assets within just three years of launch, showcasing its effectiveness and popularity among users.
The founders, leveraging their experience from leading fintech companies, have built a platform distinctively addressing European-specific challenges. Lightyear’s unique proposition includes fractional shares, tax-efficient investment solutions such as ISAs in the UK and TBSZ accounts in Hungary, and direct integrations with regional exchanges like Nasdaq Baltic.
Alongside NordicNinja, the Series B round attracted Superangel, SpecialistVC, Lightspeed, Metaplanet, Skaala, and notable angel investors including Markus Villig of Bolt and Lars Trunin of Wise. These investors underscore Lightyear’s robust potential to reshape investment practices across Europe, aligning financial accessibility with cutting-edge technology.
