Qira, a fintech startup based in New York, has raised $8 million in Series A funding to rethink real estate management.
The round was led by Phoenix Insurance Company, Israel’s largest institutional investor, As a result of the round, Phoenix’s Head of Global Real Estate Investments Guy Porat will be joining Qira’s board of directors.
Qira is the result of the merging between Rentigo and HelloRented, two startups with years of experience in the real estate industry. Rentigo is the developer behind a rent processing platform for real estate operators which allows them to improve the efficacy of their operations at a lower cost. On the other hand, HelloRented is behind an AI-based alternative security deposit solution that facilitates the renting process.
The startup is now aiming to support residential owners, property managers, and renters alike by facilitating deposit and rent collection, claims processing, and refunds at the end of the lease, helping them during all stages of the renting process. This ensures a better experience for everyone involved by facilitating the interaction between them via an all-in-one platform CEO of Qira, Bill Staniford, said about this approach:
“After revolutionizing e-commerce, fintech is now improving the way financial transactions are carried out in the residential real estate market. As renter demographics shift, there is an increased need for instant solutions, from applicant selection to rent collection to offering immediate cashflow solutions at the click of a button. Ultimately, these solutions for residents help build better communities that are more profitable; we see it every day. Our products help owners and property managers reduce rent defaults, decrease bad debt and increase their NOI.”
At this time, Qira is serving more than 500 properties and has onboarded more than 6000 users on its platform, which it is now planning to triple by 2022. Combined with reports suggesting that more than 59% of real estate owners have seen an increase in rent payments during 2020, the startup is looking to become a major player in the industry by helping address the current crisis.