Topi is a technology company.
Topi has raised $20.1M across 3 funding rounds.
Topi has raised $20.1M in total across 3 funding rounds.
# High-Level Overview
topi is a Berlin-based fintech company that digitizes equipment leasing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).[1][5] Founded in 2021 by Charlotte Pallua and Estelle Merle, topi provides a fully digital platform enabling businesses to subscribe to or rent IT hardware and smartphones instead of purchasing them outright.[1] The company serves retailers, manufacturers, and OEM partners by embedding flexible leasing solutions directly into their sales channels—whether online, through telesales, or in physical stores.[1][2]
The core problem topi solves is straightforward: IT procurement remains cumbersome and inaccessible for many businesses, particularly SMEs with limited capital.[3] By offering a customer-centric, API-based platform, topi removes friction from the hardware acquisition process, improving liquidity for buyers while increasing conversion rates and customer retention for sellers.[3] In August 2025, topi was acquired by PEAC Solutions, a global leader in equipment finance and leasing, signaling validation of its business model and positioning within the broader Hardware as a Service (HaaS) market.[1]
# Origin Story
Charlotte Pallua's path to founding topi reflects deep expertise in equipment financing. She studied at Harvard and in Paris and Tokyo, worked as a consultant at Boston Consulting Group, and then led a global team at Apple responsible for financing programs.[3] This background gave her insider knowledge of how enterprises finance technology purchases—and where the gaps existed.
Pallua co-founded topi in 2021 with Estelle Merle, recognizing that traditional leasing providers had failed to prioritize digital transformation and end-user experience.[2] Rather than building another legacy finance product, the founders applied a design philosophy borrowed from Apple: let the customer journey dictate the product architecture.[2] This approach—starting with what users actually needed rather than what finance systems could easily deliver—became topi's founding insight and competitive advantage.
# Core Differentiators
# Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
topi operates at the intersection of three powerful trends: the shift toward subscription and rental models, the digitization of financial services, and the rise of embedded finance.
The Hardware as a Service (HaaS) market is growing rapidly, driven by businesses' preference for operational expense (OpEx) models over capital expense (CapEx) purchases.[1] This trend mirrors the broader SaaS revolution but applies to physical assets. topi's timing is advantageous because SMEs increasingly expect frictionless, digital-first experiences—yet equipment financing remains trapped in legacy processes.
Embedded finance is reshaping how financial products reach customers. Rather than forcing users to leave their preferred sales channel to apply for credit, topi brings financing directly into the point of sale.[2] This reduces friction and increases conversion, benefiting both retailers and lenders.
The acquisition by PEAC Solutions underscores topi's role in consolidating the equipment finance ecosystem. As a global leader, PEAC gains access to topi's modern technology stack and can deploy it across its international network, while topi gains financial strength and distribution reach.[1] This creates a flywheel: better technology attracts more partners, which generates more data, which improves the product further.
# Quick Take & Future Outlook
topi has solved a real problem—making hardware access frictionless for SMEs—at a moment when businesses are actively seeking alternatives to traditional purchasing and financing. The acquisition by PEAC Solutions validates the business model and signals that the market is consolidating around digital-first players.
Looking ahead, topi's trajectory will likely follow two paths: deepening penetration in IT hardware leasing across PEAC's international network, and horizontal expansion into adjacent verticals where equipment costs create friction for SMEs.[2] The company's flexible technology platform positions it well for the latter, but execution will depend on building domain expertise in new sectors.
The broader implication is that fintech is moving beyond payments and lending into the operational backbone of commerce. topi exemplifies how modern infrastructure—when designed with users first—can unlock capital efficiency across entire markets. As SMEs increasingly operate in a subscription-first world, platforms that make hardware access as seamless as software subscriptions will become indispensable.
Topi has raised $20.1M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Topi's investors include Bulent Tekmen, Company Capital, Creandum, Dawn Capital, Kamran Ansari, Index Ventures, Partners Resolute, Picus Capital, Silverton Partners, Something new, Anthemis Group, L Catterton Growth.
Topi has raised $20.1M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $50K Seed in March 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2024 | $50K Seed | Bulent Tekmen | |
| Aug 1, 2022 | $15.0M Series A | Company Capital, Creandum, Dawn Capital, Kamran Ansari, Index Ventures, Partners Resolute, Picus Capital, Silverton Partners, Something new | |
| Dec 1, 2021 | $5.0M Seed | Anthemis Group, Company Capital, Index Ventures, L Catterton Growth, Mosaic Ventures, Notion Capital, SCOR Ventures, #SecretFund, V3 Ventures, Richard Laxer |