New :Karmen raises 9M to democratize SME financing
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FAQ

Understand everything about Karmen financing with explanations as clear and transparent as our financing. The answers to your questions, that's all.

4 minutes to understand everything about Karmen funding.

1. General

What is Karmen?

Karmen is France's leading WCR financing solution.
We offer a new financing solution, designed for all businesses.
We analyze your company's data and offer financing in 48 hours, up to €5 million, to meet your growth ambitions.

What is the purpose of Karmen funding?

Karmen financing gives companies access to financing in the form of a loan, in less than 48 hours.

It can meet all your cash flow / WCR challenges andshort-term ROIinvestment financing.

For example, our customers use Karmen to finance their:
- Working capital requirements (WCR) linked to cash flow mismatches
- Inventory purchasing
- B2B invoice advances
- Marketing campaign budget
- Recruitment

What is the difference between Karmen and a bank?

Putting together a file and accessing a bank loan is a very time-consuming process, whereas applying for Karmen financing takes only a few minutes and the funds are released within 48 hours.

In addition, Karmen does not charge an interest rate but a commission on the total amount financed.
The cost of financing is clear and there are no hidden fees, Karmen bears the entire risk and takes no guarantees.

What is the difference between Karmen funding and fundraising?

The fundraising process is very time consuming and distracts founders from their business activities. In contrast, Karmen's funding application takes only minutes and funds are released within 48 hours so you can focus on what really matters to your business.

In addition, raising funds involves diluting capital, an ongoing cost to the company and the founders.
Karmen financing is non-dilutive, allowing you to finance your growth sustainably over the long term.

Is it possible to obtain Karmen financing in addition to a fundraising or bank loan?

Absolutely, that's even what we advise our clients to mobilize as much cash as possible, and to use non-dilutive financing as much as possible.

Karmen is a non-dilutive financing leverage to add to your financing structure just like a grant or a bank loan.

2. Eligibility

For which companies is Karmen financing best suited? 

Karmen is particularly well-suited to financing working capital for businesses such as E-Commerce, SaaS, Marketplaces, Mobile Apps and other businesses.

What are the Karmen eligibility criteria?

The Karmen eligibility criteria are as follows:

- Company based in mainland France
‍-
Company age > 2 years
‍-
Sales over the last 12 months > €300,000
‍-
Positive shareholders' equity on the liabilities side of the last balance sheet
- Profitable or unprofitable company with a runway (life expectancy) > 6 months
- Absence of unpaid suppliers, URSSAF liens, etc.
- Managers with no history of insolvency proceedings (receivership, liquidation) over the last 10 years.

Does Karmen fund business launches?

No, Karmen finances companies with at least 2 years' seniority.

My company seems eligible, how much funding can I get through Karmen?

For your first application, we can finance up to 20% of your annual sales, to a maximum of €5 million.

3. Funding process

How long does it take to get my first Karmen funding?

Once you have submitted your financing request and information (about 15 minutes), our teams will take 2 to 8 working days to determine your eligibility and work out the financing terms with you.

Once the offer has been accepted, the funds are sent directly to your account within 48 hours.

How do I apply for Karmen funding?

1. Complete your Karmen financing application (2min)
2. We'll get back to you within 24 hours.
3. Synchronize your banks with the Karmen app. Thanks to open banking, Karmen retrieves your bank transactions for the last 3 months in just a few clicks.
4. Receive your financing proposal with a clear cost and schedule.
5. Get the funds directly into your bank account.
6. Repeat the operation as you grow.

Do I have to pay for the application and eligibility analysis?

No, the application and analysis are totally free. You don't pay anything until you sign with us.

What are the repayment terms for Karmen financing?

Financing is repaid in fixed monthly installments (first installment due 30 days after receipt of funds).

With the schedule, you know in advance what you're paying back and when. No surprises.

4. Cost of financing

How does Karmen earns money?

We take an overall cost on the total amount financed according to the repayment period (0.9% and 1.2% per month)

For example, if we finance €200,000 over 6 months at 6%, this costs €12,000 and you will repay €212,000 in 6 monthly instalments.

What is the cost of Karmen financing?

The cost of Karmen financing depends on the company's risk profile

This is an overall cost on the amount financed. It varies between 0.9% and 1.2% per month, depending on the repayment period.

There are no hidden costs, and we take no guarantees.

How is the cost calculated?

The cost is calculated according to the amount financed, the repayment period (24 months maximum) and the company's level of risk.

No collateral is required, and we guarantee financing with no hidden costs.

5. Advanced financing information

What is the maximum amount I can get for my first financing?

For your first application, we can finance up to 20% of your annual sales, to a maximum of €5 million.

What are the minimum and maximum financing terms?

The minimum financing period is 1 month.

The maximum financing period is 24 months.

Where does the money Karmen lends come from?

Karmen recently raised €100 million in debt from Fasanara Capital.
As a result, Karmen offers the most competitive financing terms on the market.
Read our press release press release for more details.

Is it possible to use Karmen several times?

Yes, that's even what we recommend.

Rather than using a single large financing (and thus paying a commission on money that is sleeping) we encourage our clients to use several smaller financing amounts, proportional to your short-term growth needs, for tailored financial support.

How is the funding delivered to me?

Funding is paid by bank transfer, directly into your company's bank account.

Are there any limits to how I can spend the funds? 

No. You are free to use the money as you wish.


6. Data and security

What data does Karmen need to determine my company's eligibility?

We connect to your corporate bank accounts via our partner open banking solution (Bridge) to read your incoming and outgoing transactions over the last 3 months in read-only mode.

Why do I need to connect my banks?

We need to have a holistic financial view of your company's financial health to determine its eligibility.

We are required to maintain synchronization throughout the financing period to adapt our financing as necessary and ensure compliance with anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing.

Does Karmen have access to my bank accounts?

The implementation ofOpen Banking (mandatory for all banks following European regulation DSP2) allows us to have a read-only view of your banking transactions.
Under no circumstancescan we execute any operations on your accounts.

Is my data secure?

Yes, all data shared with Karmen is encrypted and secure throughout its use until it is deleted.

Will my data be sold to third parties?

No.
Karmen is committed to protecting the confidentiality of your data.
Your data will be used exclusively by us and will never be exported or sold to third parties.