Pledger

Pledger is a financial technology firm that has developed a platform to bridge the traditional gap between savings and credit. Founded in 2022, the company enables individuals to use their existing savings as collateral to secure a loan, thereby avoiding the need to liquidate their assets for life projects. The firm was established by an intergenerational team: Renaud Sassi, the former CEO of Carrefour Bank, and two young polytechnicians, Thomas Breitenstein and Adrien de Forceville. The project's inception was in October 2021, with the company officially forming in February 2022 and commercially launching in April 2023.

The company's core service is a decentralized system that democratizes access to what is typically a private banking service. It caters to any individual holding at least €20,000 in financial assets, providing them with access to credit at competitive rates, reportedly 20% lower on average. Pledger's business model is based on creating a multi-beneficial collaboration between lending banks, savings managers, and the saver-borrowers. The entire process is handled through a fully dematerialized, digital platform designed for security and fluidity. Key partners who joined in 2022 include the Apicil Group, Monabanq, and BNP.

Pledger's platform facilitates what it terms 'patrimonial credit' for a wide range of clients, including independent workers and young people, who can now leverage their savings for financing needs such as real estate, investments, or cash flow requirements. Following a successful first fundraising round of €1 million in July 2023, with support from investors like Mandalore Partners, Pledger is focused on accelerating its development. The company plans to expand its partnerships with life insurance distributors and to incorporate securities accounts and other savings plans as eligible collateral, with the goal of surpassing €10 million in financing transiting through its platform.

Keywords: patrimonial credit, savings-backed loans, collateralized lending, fintech, credit access, asset-backed lending, digital lending, loan on savings, wealth management financing, Renaud Sassi, Thomas Breitenstein, Adrien de Forceville, Apicil partner, Monabanq partner, securities-backed credit, life insurance loan, financial asset leverage, credit marketplace, French fintech, investment financing