After raising €10 million in June, mobile technology firm, SumUp, announced that they have closed another €10 million round. A provider of mobile point of service (mPOS) hardware, SumUp’s hardware provides merchants the ability to accept card and mobile-based  Payments  Payments One of the bases of mediums of exchange in the modern world, a payment constitutes the transfer of a legal currency or equivalent from one party in exchange for goods or services to another entity. The payments industry has become a fixture of modern commerce, though the players involved and means of exchange have dramatically shifted over time.In particular, a party making a payment is referred to as a payer, with the payee reflecting the individual or entity receiving the payment. Most commonly the basis of exchange involves fiat currency or legal tender, be it in the form of cash, credit or bank transfers, debit, or checks. While typically associated with cash transfers, payments can also be made in anything of perceived value, be it stock or bartering – though this is far more limited today than it has been in the past.The Largest Players in the Payments IndustryFor most individuals, the payments industry is dominated currently by card companies such as Visa or Mastercard, which facilitate the use of credit or debit expenditures. More recently, this industry has seen the rise of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) payments services, which have gained tremendous traction in Europe, the United States, and Asia, among other continents.One of the biggest parameters for payments is timing, which looms as a crucial element for execution. By this metric, consumer demand incentivizes technology that prioritizes the fastest payment execution.This can help explain the preference for debit and credit payments overtaking check or money orders, which in previous decades were much more commonly utilized. A multi-billion-dollar industry, the payments space has seen some of the most innovation and advances in recent years as companies look to push contactless technology with faster execution times. One of the bases of mediums of exchange in the modern world, a payment constitutes the transfer of a legal currency or equivalent from one party in exchange for goods or services to another entity. The payments industry has become a fixture of modern commerce, though the players involved and means of exchange have dramatically shifted over time.In particular, a party making a payment is referred to as a payer, with the payee reflecting the individual or entity receiving the payment. Most commonly the basis of exchange involves fiat currency or legal tender, be it in the form of cash, credit or bank transfers, debit, or checks. While typically associated with cash transfers, payments can also be made in anything of perceived value, be it stock or bartering – though this is far more limited today than it has been in the past.The Largest Players in the Payments IndustryFor most individuals, the payments industry is dominated currently by card companies such as Visa or Mastercard, which facilitate the use of credit or debit expenditures. More recently, this industry has seen the rise of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) payments services, which have gained tremendous traction in Europe, the United States, and Asia, among other continents.One of the biggest parameters for payments is timing, which looms as a crucial element for execution. By this metric, consumer demand incentivizes technology that prioritizes the fastest payment execution.This can help explain the preference for debit and credit payments overtaking check or money orders, which in previous decades were much more commonly utilized. A multi-billion-dollar industry, the payments space has seen some of the most innovation and advances in recent years as companies look to push contactless technology with faster execution times. Read this Term without the need of using wired devices. Due to the flexibility the technology provides merchants, mPOS systems have become popular devices for temporary pop-up shops and kiosks.

Raising another €10 million, the funding includes investments from BBVA Ventures and Groupon who had previously been counted among the firm’s investors, raising SumUp’s total to date fundraising to €50 million. According to SumUp, the funds will be used to help them expand to two new countries, reaching a total of 15 and covering three continents. In addition, SumUp plans to use the cash to fund their roll-out and creation of new contactless payment technologies and services.

SumUp, Europe’s leading mPOS company, today announced a new €10 million injection by investors including BBVA Ventures and Groupon. American Express and other current investors also participated in the  Funding Round  Funding Round Startups look to raise capital can participate in a funding round. These refers to the various rounds of funding that occur upon proof of concept, customer base growth, and the probability of success. While they are various types of funding rounds, the most commonly seen in startups include the following funding rounds: Seed, Series A Fundraising, Series B Fundraising, and Series C Fundraising. In order for a funding round to take place, a valuation must be performed by analysts for the business in question. Common factors that analysts use for valuations include market size, risk, management, and historical transparency. Types of Funding RoundsThe seed funding round officially kicks off a startup’s equity fundraising process. Used by startups to finance the beginning stages of its business, some proceeds of seed funding may go towards product development and market research.Common investors include angel investors, friends, family, and venture capital firms.Companies that emerge out of the seed funding round that has gone on to prove its ability to build a consumer base while generating a regularly occurring revenue can participate in Series A Fundraising.Businesses that wish to opt-in to a Series A funding round must also possess a strong business strategy to illustrate how it will continue to manifest into a successful business. Series B Fundraising are available for companies that are seeking to depart the development stage that has valuations between $30 million to $60 million.Companies that go on to make it to Series C funding rounds are considerably successful where the aim is to scale a company as efficiently and quickly as possible. Typical investors include investment banks, private equity firms, and hedge funds. For many investors, monitoring how a startup goes through funding rounds is a tactical strategy for securing high-probability investments. Startups look to raise capital can participate in a funding round. These refers to the various rounds of funding that occur upon proof of concept, customer base growth, and the probability of success. While they are various types of funding rounds, the most commonly seen in startups include the following funding rounds: Seed, Series A Fundraising, Series B Fundraising, and Series C Fundraising. In order for a funding round to take place, a valuation must be performed by analysts for the business in question. Common factors that analysts use for valuations include market size, risk, management, and historical transparency. Types of Funding RoundsThe seed funding round officially kicks off a startup’s equity fundraising process. Used by startups to finance the beginning stages of its business, some proceeds of seed funding may go towards product development and market research.Common investors include angel investors, friends, family, and venture capital firms.Companies that emerge out of the seed funding round that has gone on to prove its ability to build a consumer base while generating a regularly occurring revenue can participate in Series A Fundraising.Businesses that wish to opt-in to a Series A funding round must also possess a strong business strategy to illustrate how it will continue to manifest into a successful business. Series B Fundraising are available for companies that are seeking to depart the development stage that has valuations between $30 million to $60 million.Companies that go on to make it to Series C funding rounds are considerably successful where the aim is to scale a company as efficiently and quickly as possible. Typical investors include investment banks, private equity firms, and hedge funds. For many investors, monitoring how a startup goes through funding rounds is a tactical strategy for securing high-probability investments. Read this Term. This takes SumUp’s funding so far to a total of €50 million, and follows the recent investment by Swiss venture capital firm Venture Incubator AG. Describing what led to the funding, despite having raised €10 million in June, Marc-Alexander Christ, Co-Founder of SumUp, explained to Finance Magnates that the firm received additional investor interest following the June funding.

For SumUp, the timing of the announcement comes on the heels of a current slump in global stock indexes. As a result of the weakness in equities, reports emerged that this has led to a more difficult environment for startups and other private companies to raise new funding. Nonetheless, Marc-Alexander Christ expressed that the macro situation for stocks didn’t affect them, stating, “Investors are impressed by SumUp's operational performance and are excited to participate in its success. Smart investors look at the long term outlook, rather than the short term dislocation of financial markets.”

Commenting on their investment, Jay Reinemann, Executive Director, BBVA Ventures, stated, “We’re pleased to offer further support to SumUp, who are shaking up mobile payments and creating opportunities for both merchants and customers. They fit the profile of businesses BBVA Ventures wants to invest in and learn from - those disrupting the mainstream for the benefit of the consumer.”