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§ Private Profile · 10549 Reading Rd, Cincinnati, Ohio 45241, US
Pay Theory is a technology company.
Pay Theory develops specialized financial infrastructure, offering a payment suite for software-as-a-service platforms within the family-service ecosystem. This system facilitates seamless payment acceptance and processing, enhancing financial operations for providers in critical sectors like education, childcare, healthcare, and government. Its technology integrates into existing platforms, streamlining transactions for service providers and families.
The company was co-founded by CEO Brad Hoeweler and CTO Eric Fulkert. They recognized a need to remove barriers in financial interactions between essential service providers and the families they serve. Their foundational insight aimed to simplify these transactions, ensuring equitable access and smoother engagement for all.
Pay Theory serves vital service organizations and their families, delivering straightforward and impactful financial solutions. Its mission is to expand access to necessary family support systems by simplifying financial exchanges. The company envisions a future where transactions empower families to connect with essential services, rather than acting as obstacles.
Pay Theory has raised $6.3M across 3 funding rounds.
Pay Theory has raised $6.3M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Pay Theory has raised $6.3M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $4.0M Seed in October 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2023 | $4M Seed | — | Jenny Fielding, Scott Hartley, M13, Precursor Ventures, Zeal Capital Partners | Announced |
| Feb 1, 2022 | $2M Seed | Zeal Capital Partners | Jenny Fielding, Scott Hartley, LOUD Capital, M13, Precursor Ventures, Double Eagle Venture Partners, Gaingels, Ohio Impact Fund, Sica Ventures, SixThirty | Announced |
| Sep 1, 2019 | $350K Seed | — | LOUD Capital, Zeal Capital Partners | Announced |
Pay Theory is a fintech company providing embedded payment solutions for SaaS platforms in "must-pay" family-service industries like education, healthcare, and childcare. It enables acceptance of cards, ACH, cash, recurring billing, and payment plans, solving barriers to payment for underserved families while ensuring compliance and seamless integration for providers.[1][2][3][4]
The platform serves SaaS builders in these sectors by offering inclusive tools—such as digital cash acceptance and sub-merchant visibility—that boost revenue and accessibility, addressing issues like rising out-of-pocket healthcare costs (now 50% patient-led, ~$370B annually) and cashless exclusion.[4][5] Founded in 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio, it has raised seed VC funding under $5M and partners with Fiserv for advanced infrastructure like Carat commerce and Finxact banking ledgers.[1][2]
Pay Theory was founded in 2018 in Cincinnati, Ohio, at 10549 Reading Road, by a team focused on family tech amid the shift to cashless payments.[1][2] The idea emerged from recognizing payment barriers in vital services: digital solutions excluded cash-preferring families, complicating collections for schools, childcare, and healthcare providers.[2][3]
Early traction included a 2021 launch of its cash acceptance tool for school districts and families, simplifying payments via PR Newswire announcement.[2] This built on a mission to humanize finance, evolving from basic processing to embedded suites with Fiserv integration for regulated sectors.[1][4]
Pay Theory stands out in fintech through industry-specific innovations for must-pay sectors:
Pay Theory rides the embedded finance wave in fintech, embedding payments into vertical SaaS for essential services where payments are non-optional ("must-pay").[1][4][6] Timing aligns with post-pandemic cashless acceleration and rising patient responsibilities (50% of $740B+ U.S. healthcare spend), amplifying needs for inclusive tools amid 20M+ unbanked households.[5]
Market forces favor it: regulatory pressures in healthcare/education demand compliant processors, while SaaS platforms seek plug-and-play revenue boosters. Pay Theory influences the ecosystem by enabling HealthTech/EdTech growth, fostering partnerships like Fiserv, and prioritizing accessibility over retail-focused giants like Stripe.[1][4]
Pay Theory is poised for expansion by deepening Fiserv synergies and targeting more must-pay verticals, potentially scaling via Series A post-seed. Trends like AI-driven payments, open banking, and further patient-pay shifts (projected to grow with deductibles) will propel demand for its inclusive stack.[1][5]
Its influence may evolve from niche embedder to category leader in family-services fintech, materially improving SaaS revenue models while bridging financial divides—echoing its founding mission to ensure all families access vital services.[3][4]
Pay Theory has raised $6.3M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Pay Theory's investors include Jenny Fielding, Scott Hartley, M13, Precursor Ventures, Zeal Capital Partners, LOUD Capital, Double Eagle Venture Partners, Gaingels, Ohio Impact Fund, Sica Ventures, SixThirty.