Garantibil

Garantibil Sverige AB, founded in 2012 by Patrick Juthberg, operated as a peer-to-peer marketplace for used cars in Sweden, aiming to provide a secure transaction environment for private buyers and sellers. The company's business model centered on creating trust in the consumer-to-consumer used car market, a segment traditionally dominated by classified sites like Blocket.

The platform facilitated transactions by ensuring every vehicle underwent a thorough inspection by an impartial professional. To further de-risk the purchase, each sale included a comprehensive two-week insurance policy and a two-year used-car warranty. All payments were securely handled through an escrow account with Nordea, where funds were held until both the buyer and seller had signed the sales contract. This structured process was designed to make private car purchases safer and, consequently, make the vehicles easier to sell.

Garantibil attracted significant attention from the investment community, raising over $6 million from notable backers including Bonnier, Industrifonden, Vostok New Ventures, and Speed Ventures. At its peak, the Stockholm-based firm was considered one of Sweden's more promising startups. However, despite the substantial capital injections, the company struggled to gain sufficient market traction. After selling approximately 2,000 cars over three years while incurring high operational costs from an attempted international expansion, Garantibil faced a financial crisis. The company filed for bankruptcy in August 2017. In October 2017, the technology, brand, and domain of the defunct company were acquired by a subsidiary of Volvo Cars.

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