Only have 1 minute? Read our 3 takeaways:
- Bucharest-based inki.tech, offering a Devices-as-a-Service (DaaS) solution that integrates insurance, raised a seed round led by Helvetia Venture Fund and joined circular economy player Autonom and proptech startup The Mavers, among others.
- This recent influx pushes inki.tech’s total funding over the €6 million mark, accumulated through equity and debt financing.
- inki.tech plans to funnel the new fund into bolstering its presence in Western Europe and solidifying its position in Central and Eastern Europe.
The unique blend of DaaS with integrated insurance by inki.tech arrives as a game-changer for businesses aiming to evolve how they handle their team’s devices. The model offers heightened efficiency, environmental sustainability, and agility for companies.
Stefano Saeger, Principal at Helvetia Venture Fund, an investment wing of Swiss insurer group, expressed his excitement, stating, “inki.tech’s solution seamlessly blends risk management and sustainability, driven by a team deeply committed to the circular economy and backed by insurance expertise.”
Looking ahead, the fresh capital will propel strategic improvements, spanning an upgraded IT infrastructure to deeper integrations with Telcos, distributors, and HR systems, aiming to enhance the user experience and expand the company’s reach.
Revolutionizing device ownership
Last year, The Recursive was introducing you to inki.tech’s vision to transform device ownership, by establishing a renting platform for electronics such as laptops and phones, that includes a unique blend of additional services: financing, insurance, remote management, buyback, and assistance.
Its solution is particularly appealing in a business environment under pressure to decarbonize its operations and reduce waste, to reduce its negative environmental impact. In fact, the circular economy, based on the elimination of waste and pollution and circulating products and materials at their highest value, presents a €1.8 trillion economic opportunity by 2030.
Unlike traditional DaaS providers, where insurance often remains a peripheral, inki.tech took an extra step and embedded insurance and device security at the core of its value proposition.
Clients can reap the benefits of total risk transfer, from unforeseen damages to residual value risks, drastically reducing device fleet management time. inki.tech’s robust platform offers cross-border device logistics, repairs, and decommissioning, allowing for seamless device upgrades or downgrades – useful to clients in the face of regular new product launches.
Liviu Huluță, CEO & Co-founder of inki.tech, emphasized the advantages: “Integrated insurance has multiple benefits for our value proposition to clients. It not only extends the lifespan of devices through proper maintenance but also lowers the total cost of ownership. By bundling insurance, we eliminate the high cost of acquiring insurance and mitigate adverse selection risk, resulting in cost savings for clients.”
