Wayflyer

Wayflyer provides flexible, data-driven financing solutions for e-commerce and other growing businesses. The company’s platform leverages technology to assess real-time business performance, delivering tailored capital options such as cash advances, term loans, and rolling financing. This approach allows for rapid access to funds, supporting operational needs and growth initiatives for consumer brands.

Founded in 2019 by Aidan Corbett and Jack Pierse, Wayflyer originated from the insight that traditional funding mechanisms were often too slow and inflexible for the fast-paced demands of modern, scaling businesses. Corbett, an experienced entrepreneur, along with Pierse, sought to address this market gap by creating a more agile and accessible capital partner that could make quicker, more informed funding decisions through technology.

The company primarily serves small to medium-sized enterprises across various sectors, including direct-to-consumer e-commerce, Amazon sellers, and wholesale operations. Wayflyer’s mission is to empower ambitious founders by supplying the essential capital and strategic insights required to launch new products, expand market reach, and ultimately scale their businesses with purpose.

High-Level Overview

Wayflyer is a fintech company providing revenue-based financing and growth insights to e-commerce and SMBs, using real-time data analysis to deliver fast, flexible capital without personal guarantees or spend restrictions.[1][2][3][6] Founded in 2019 in Dublin, Ireland, it has deployed over $5 billion to more than 5,000 businesses across 11 countries, expanded beyond e-commerce into wholesale and omnichannel brands, and achieved unicorn status with rapid growth, including 900% expansion from 2020-2021.[2][3][5] It serves ambitious consumer brands and SMBs facing traditional lending barriers, solving cash flow gaps for inventory, marketing, and scaling while offering analytics for optimization.[1][2][6]

Origin Story

Wayflyer was founded in 2019 by Aidan Corbett and Jack Pierse in Dublin, Ireland, to address financing hurdles for e-commerce businesses reliant on advertising and non-recurring revenue, bypassing rigid bank loans with revenue-based alternatives.[1][3] The idea emerged from spotting a gap in quick, data-driven funding for tech and online sellers; early traction came via customer-centric CRM adoption for scalability, leading to thousands of sign-ups.[5] Pivotal moments include a $76M Series A in 2021 led by Left Lane Capital, $150M Series B in 2022 from DST Global (hitting unicorn status), and debt facilities like $300M from JP Morgan, fueling global client growth to 1,500+ by late 2022 and €62.5M revenue in 2023.[3]

Core Differentiators

• Real-time data-driven underwriting: Analyzes sales, marketing, and accounting platforms in minutes for tailored offers, averaging 12-minute applications and 94-minute fastest approvals, far faster than traditional finance.[2][6]
• Revenue-based model with low risk: Funding ties to business revenue, not personal guarantees; no spend restrictions, enabling flexible use for growth like inventory or ads.[2][3][6]
• Self-serve and expanded access: Launched self-serve options in 2023, Amazon/wholesale in 2024, and all-industry SMB focus by Sept 2025, with seamless CRM integration for cross-team collaboration and 98% customer recommendation rate.[2][5]
• Proven scale and backing: $5B+ deployed, offices in Dublin, London, New York, Sydney (plus new U.S. hub in Charlotte, NC), supported by top investors like DST Global.[2][3]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Wayflyer rides the e-commerce and SMB financing boom, fueled by digital sales growth, omnichannel shifts, and demand for non-dilutive capital amid high interest rates.[1][2][3] Its timing aligns with post-2020 online retail surges and inventory challenges, expanding from e-com to wholesale/Amazon by 2024-2025 to capture broader SMB needs in a $100B+ alternative lending market.[2] Market forces like real-time data availability and fintech deregulation favor its model, influencing the ecosystem by enabling 5,000+ brands to scale (e.g., True Classic, Ghost Golf), reducing bank dominance, and setting standards for speed in consumer brand funding.[2][6] As Ireland's fastest-growing tech firm by Nov 2024, it boosts local innovation alongside peers like Stripe.[3]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Wayflyer is poised for further global expansion, leveraging its $5B deployment track record and new verticals to target underserved SMBs amid economic recovery.[2][3] Trends like AI-driven underwriting, omnichannel retail, and embedded finance will accelerate its growth, potentially doubling clients as e-com rebounds. Its influence may evolve into a full-stack growth platform, blending capital with deeper analytics, solidifying its role as a go-to for ambitious brands unlocking potential without traditional barriers.[1][2]