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§ Private Profile · London, United Kingdom
Lightyear is a technology company.
Lightyear has raised $141.6M across 9 funding rounds.
Key people at Lightyear.
Lightyear has raised $141.6M in total across 9 funding rounds.
Lightyear develops highly efficient solar electric vehicles that integrate photovoltaic cells directly into the car's body. This core product is designed to generate power from the sun, significantly extending driving range and reducing the frequency and dependency on external charging infrastructure. The company's technical approach focuses on maximizing energy efficiency and solar yield to deliver unprecedented autonomy for electric mobility.
The company was founded in 2016 by Lex Hoefsloot, Koen Van Ham, and Arjo Van Der Ham, among others. Their journey began as alumni of the award-winning Solar Team Eindhoven at the Eindhoven University of Technology, where they gained deep expertise in solar technology and vehicle efficiency through competitive solar car racing. This foundational insight spurred the vision for creating commercially viable, solar-powered automobiles.
Lightyear targets consumers and fleet operators prioritizing sustainable and convenient transportation solutions that minimize reliance on the grid. The company envisions a future where clean mobility is universally accessible, driven by the abundant power of the sun. Their long-term mission is to accelerate the global transition towards a truly sustainable and independent transportation ecosystem.
Lightyear (lightyear.cloud) is a global SaaS company specializing in fintech products for accounts payable (AP) automation and procurement, serving businesses, accountants, and bookkeepers worldwide.[1] It builds a payables and procurement platform that streamlines invoice processing, payments, data digitization, and insights, available in over 40 countries across North America, EMEA, and APAC, with more than 20,000 users and consistent top rankings from Gartner, GetApp, Capterra, and others since 2021.[1] The platform solves manual AP inefficiencies inherited from its predecessor, Invitbox, by offering simple, award-winning tools that integrate with systems like Xero, Sage, Netsuite, and MYOB, driving growth through multi-regional offices in Belfast (HQ), Sydney, and the UK.[1]
Lightyear traces its roots to 2009, when brothers Roger and Chris Gregg developed Invitbox, a trusted AP software for the hospitality industry, which Roger founded drawing from his accounting, computer science training, and 20+ years in manufacturing and hospitality.[1] Intuit acquired Invitbox in 2014, but Roger's passion for process automation led him and Chris to start Lightyear in 2017, launching into the APAC market by mid-2018 with an advanced AP automation solution.[1] Pivotal early traction came from rapid user adoption, achieving 20,000+ global users, 5-star ratings across 1,000+ reviews, and multi-award recognition, expanding from hospitality-focused roots to a comprehensive payables platform.[1]
Lightyear rides the fintech automation wave in AP and procurement, addressing manual workflows in a market shifting toward digitized, cloud-based solutions amid rising global trade and remote operations.[1] Timing aligns with post-pandemic demand for efficient B2B payments and insights, fueled by integrations with dominant accounting platforms and expansion into high-growth regions like APAC and EMEA.[1] Market forces favoring it include SaaS adoption in accounting (e.g., Xero ecosystem) and regulatory pushes for digital invoicing, positioning Lightyear to influence the ecosystem by setting benchmarks for ease-of-use and reliability, as evidenced by its consistent analyst leadership.[1]
Lightyear's momentum—20,000+ users, global footprint, and top rankings—positions it for accelerated growth in AP fintech, potentially expanding AI-driven insights and payment features.[1] Trends like embedded finance, real-time payments, and ESG-compliant procurement will shape its path, enhancing its role in streamlining global business operations. As a multi-regional innovator born from proven founders, Lightyear exemplifies how targeted AP automation empowers businesses to thrive in a digitized economy, echoing its founding mission to deliver simple, impactful tools.[1]
Key people at Lightyear.
Lightyear has raised $141.6M in total across 9 funding rounds.
Lightyear's investors include Rainer Sternfeld, Air Street Capital, Amplo, Contrary Capital, Creandum, Aniq Kassam, Gutter Capital, Icebreaker.vc, Innovation Endeavors, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Matrix, Mosaic Ventures.
Lightyear has raised $141.6M across 9 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $23.0M Series B in July 2025.
