Cariqa is a Berlin-based technology company building Europe's first full-stack payments and pricing platform for electric vehicle (EV) charging, connecting charge point operators (CPOs) directly with drivers to eliminate intermediaries and pricing chaos.[1][2][3] It offers a dashboard for operators to manage dynamic pricing, payments, and compliance in real-time, while providing drivers with transparent, consistent pricing across apps, QR codes, and terminals.[1][3] Cariqa serves CPOs like Ewe Go, Pfalzwerke, Mer, Qwello, Q1, and Ladegrün, solving fragmentation in EV payments—such as unpredictable prices, multiple apps, and inefficient billing—that hinders adoption.[2][3] The company raised €4 million in seed funding in July 2025, co-led by Contrarian Ventures and Anthemis Group, to scale across Europe, with early users reporting over 300% increases in transaction volume and revenue.[1][2]
Cariqa was co-founded by Issam Tidjani (CEO), Stefano Bonetta (CTO), Tamara Ciullo (CCO), and Mario La Pergola (COO and CFO), a team with expertise in tech, payments, and operations.[1][4] The idea emerged from frustrations in the EV charging market's "upside-down" structure, where resellers dominate and operators lack control, leading to inconsistent pricing akin to variable supermarket costs based on payment method.[3][4] Issam Tidjani highlighted this analogy, aiming to rebuild the transactional backbone for transparency and mass adoption.[4] Early traction came quickly: pre-seed objectives were met on time with a lean team, followed by partnerships with major German CPOs and the €4M seed round in 2025 to expand the infrastructure-first platform.[1][2]
Cariqa rides the EV infrastructure buildout wave in Europe, where interoperability—not hardware—is now the bottleneck, mirroring fintech's payment rails that unlocked scale.[2] Timing aligns with the EU's 2024 Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR), mandating transparent pricing, non-discriminatory roaming, and direct payments without memberships, liberalizing the market.[2] Favorable forces include accelerating EV adoption amid fragmented payments (patchwork apps, variable prices), which Cariqa simplifies for operators and drivers.[1] It influences the ecosystem by empowering CPOs with profitability tools, reducing mistrust, and paving seamless scaling, especially in advanced markets like Germany.[2]
Cariqa's momentum—rapid partnerships, funding, and traction—positions it to dominate Europe's EV payments layer as AFIR enforcement ramps up and mass adoption surges.[1][2] Next steps include team expansion, deeper integrations with major operators, and European rollout, potentially extending "beyond" via AI enhancements for pricing and utilization.[1][2][3] Trends like regulatory-driven liberalization and AI-optimized energy markets will amplify its edge, evolving Cariqa from fixer of "pricing chaos" to backbone of a transparent EV economy.[1][4]
Cariqa has raised $5.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Cariqa's investors include Anthemis Group, Better Ventures, Contrarian Ventures, Felix Jahn.
Cariqa has raised $5.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $5.0M Seed in July 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1, 2025 | $5.0M Seed | Anthemis Group, Better Ventures, Contrarian Ventures, Felix Jahn |
