Kalder announced it raised $10.5 million in funding, which includes its most recent $7 million seed round led by Javelin Venture Partners with participation from 8VC, Human Capital, Gingerbread Capital, Emergence Capital, and Formus Capital and prominent angel investors. Previously, Kalder raised $3.5 million in seed funding led by 500 Startups. Additional investors include Harry Maguire of Manchester United, Shuo Wang (Co-founder of Deel), Julius Genachowski, Board Chairman of Sonos, former FCC Chairman and board director of Mattel and Mastercard.
Kalder’s white-label partner rewards platform enables brands to launch partner cashback programs directly within their app or website, enabling customers to earn rewards automatically when shopping at partner stores. In this way, brands can reward loyalty program members on every purchase at participating stores and automatically receive commissions on each sale in their partner network, creating new revenue while boosting customer engagement and spending within the brand.
For customers, the process is simple as they join a brand’s loyalty program, link any preferred credit or debit card, and receive instant cashback incentives for purchases at partner retailers. There are no extra steps needed as customers spend with their linked card.
Brands benefit from automated tracking and insights, with payouts made directly from each transaction. And Kalder’s platform manages everything for the customer and the brand from sign-ups to purchase tracking and payments, powered by integrations with payment networks. The Kalder system provides brands unique insights into customer spending, creates new acquisition channels with partners, and enhances their engagement and loyalty-building efforts.
Brands that depend on Kalder today include iconic names like Godiva, LVMH-backed retailer MILE, Heat.io, the Swiss-Brazilian sports club BSC Young Boys. Based on Kalder’s model, the average brand sees 50,000 cashback users, which drive $450K in rewards sales revenue monthly.
KEY QUOTES:
“For the first time, brands with loyal followings can earn revenue from their existing customer loyalty programs, much like the gold standard of loyalty programs in the travel and finance categories. Until now, most brands haven’t had access to tools that allow them to turn loyalty into profit. With Kalder, any brand can turn loyalty programs into direct revenue streams. With acquisition costs soaring, brands are looking for new ways to deepen customer relationships and retain quality customers, and we’re excited to help them build this into their everyday strategy.”
– Gokce Guven, Kalder CEO and Founder
“Kalder is finally delivering on the long-held promise of loyalty monetization without the cost and complexity of traditional rewards programs. As someone who has spent years transforming loyalty into revenue for major brands, I know the challenges involved. Kalder has streamlined this process into a turnkey model that gives brands of all sizes an unprecedented opportunity to profit from customer loyalty and align it seamlessly with their marketing goals.”
– Noah Doyle, Managing Director of lead investor Javelin Venture Partners
“Kalder stands out for its innovative approach, offering a digital loyalty ecosystem that seamlessly aligns fan experiences with club goals. Their cashback product is particularly disruptive, fostering a sense of community by connecting fans with local and international businesses. It not only creates real value for fans but also generates scalable, net-new revenue for clubs—all with minimal integration and no upfront costs.”
– Michael Sutherland, former CTO of Real Madrid
“Gokce and the Kalder team bring a fresh approach to rewards that truly benefits both brands and their customers. I’m impressed to watch as their team is already delivering astounding results that deliver true value to everyone involved.”
– Julius Genachowski, Board Chairman of Sonos, former FCC Chairman and board director of Mattel and Mastercard
