Previse

Previse is a financial technology company headquartered in London that specializes in business-to-business (B2B) commerce. Founded in 2016 by a group including Paul Christensen, Philipp Schoenbucher, and Giulio Rossi, the firm aims to address the persistent issue of slow invoice payments. Christensen, the CEO, has an extensive background in fintech, including roles as the global co-head of Goldman Sachs' Principal Strategic Investments team. Schoenbucher serves as Chief Data Scientist, and Rossi is the Head of Analytics.

Previse has developed an AI-driven platform that analyzes a large corporation's enterprise resource planning (ERP) data to predict the likelihood of an invoice being paid. By identifying the small fraction of invoices that may face disputes or require manual intervention, the system enables the vast majority to be paid instantly. This process allows suppliers, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to receive payment for their invoices almost immediately, rather than waiting for traditional payment cycles that can span months.

The company's business model involves charging suppliers a small fee for the instant payment service, which is then shared between Previse, the corporate buyer, and the third-party funder (such as a bank or asset manager) that provides the capital. This creates a scenario where suppliers improve their cash flow, and buyers can earn a new revenue stream while maintaining their standard payment terms. The company's core technology, marketed as InstantPay, SmartPay, and other solutions, essentially turns a corporate buyer's transactional data into actionable insights for funders.

Previse has secured significant backing from notable investors, raising a total of $46.6 million over seven funding rounds. Key investors include Mastercard, Bessemer Venture Partners, Augmentum Fintech, Tencent, and Reefknot Investments. The company has established major partnerships, including a collaboration with Mastercard to integrate its technology into a next-generation virtual card solution for B2B payments and a partnership with e-invoicing firm Pagero. Previse has also been awarded patents for its algorithmic assessment of invoices and intelligent transaction workflows.

Keywords: B2B payments, supply chain finance, fintech, artificial intelligence, machine learning, invoice financing, working capital, instant payments, early payments, data analytics, procure-to-pay, accounts payable automation, supplier payments, cash flow management, financial technology, risk assessment, corporate finance, embedded finance, spend analysis, virtual cards