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§ Private Profile · 80 Wentworth Ave, Surry Hills, New South Wales, 2010, Australia
Australian fintech platform simplifying car financing by matching car buyers with loan offers from 30+ lenders, focused on new or used vehicles.
Driva is an automotive financial technology platform based in Sydney, Australia, that operates a marketplace matching vehicle buyers with personalized loan offers from a network of over 30 lenders. The company streamlines the financing process for both new and used vehicles by integrating directly with financial institutions and automotive dealerships nationwide. Prior to its recent financing rounds, the business demonstrated significant scale by achieving a consistent 20% monthly revenue growth rate. The enterprise initially secured a $3 million seed round in April 2021, followed by a $6 million growth funding round in early 2022 led by Carthona Capital. To further expand its commercial distribution channels, the platform established strategic partnerships with prominent automotive industry players including CARS24, Carsales, and PriceMyCar. Driva was founded in 2020 by former corporate executives Scott Montarello and Will Brown.
Driva has raised $6.2M across 2 funding rounds.
Driva has raised $6.2M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Driva has raised $6.2M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Driva's investors include Carthona Capital.
Driva has raised $6.2M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $4.0M Seed in March 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2022 | $4M Seed | — | — | Announced |
| Jan 18, 2019 | $2.1M Seed | Carthona Capital | — | Announced |
Driva is an Australian fintech company founded in 2019 (or 2020 per some sources) that operates a tech-driven platform for vehicle financing, personal loans, and novated leases.[2][3][6] It connects customers with over 30 lenders, using an advanced assessment rules engine to match users with personalized loan options based on real-time data, automating checks to streamline applications from enquiry to approval.[3][4] Serving individuals financing cars or large expenses like renovations, Driva solves pain points in traditional lending by making the process simple, transparent, and fast, with features like AI-powered chatbots, Twilio integrations for real-time notifications, and multichannel communication to boost conversion rates by 5%.[3][4] The company has shown strong growth, raising seed funding under $5M, expanding products, and partnering with firms like Thoughtworks for secure cloud scaling amid regulatory challenges.[2][6]
Driva was co-founded in 2019 by Scott Montarello and Will Brown in Darlinghurst (or Surry Hills), New South Wales, Australia, with a vision to simplify car financing for Australians navigating complex lenders.[2][3][6] The idea emerged from recognizing inefficiencies in the legacy lending process, leading to a platform that personalizes and accelerates approvals.[2][4] Early traction came quickly, with rapid growth in five years enabling product expansion to personal loans; by 2022/23, after strong momentum, Driva partnered with Thoughtworks to enhance security and efficiency in its regulated fintech environment, onboarding cloud teams for 24/7 monitoring.[2] Key early hires like Viktor Shlapkin (Head of Engineering) and Michael Ko (Head of Product) drove technical advancements.[2][4]
Driva rides the fintech wave of embedded finance and digital lending in Australia, where consumers demand instant, data-driven alternatives to opaque bank processes amid rising vehicle ownership and personal loan needs.[3][4] Timing aligns with post-pandemic digital acceleration and regulatory pushes for transparency, amplified by AI tools like rules engines and GenAI for personalization—market forces favoring platforms that cut acquisition costs and boost conversions in a competitive landscape with traditional lenders.[3][4] It influences the ecosystem by setting benchmarks for automated, customer-centric fintech, enabling smaller players to compete via lender networks and tech stacks (e.g., Twilio, Thoughtworks), while contributing to broader trends in open banking and real-time credit assessment.[2][3]
Driva's momentum positions it for further scaling, potentially deepening AI integrations for predictive lending or expanding beyond Australia via global partnerships, as seed funding fuels product diversification.[3][6] Trends like generative AI for credit scoring, multichannel CX, and regulatory easing will shape its path, enhancing efficiency in a growing $100B+ auto finance market. Its influence may evolve from niche disruptor to ecosystem enabler, powering lender matching at speed—reinforcing its core mission to make financing as simple as a few clicks.