Matters, a Stockholm, Sweden-based fintech startup, announced on October 15, 2026, that it had raised $5 million in pre-seed funding as it emerged from stealth.
The round was anchored by Swedish angel investor Jakob Johansson, with participation from Knut Frängsmyr, former Chief Operating Officer at Klarna; Douglas Stark, co-founder of Voi; Johan Bladh, CEO of Röko; Patrik Tran, CEO of Validio; and Per Widerström, CEO of Evoke.
Founded in April 2026 by Per Österström, Matters is developing an AI-powered personal finance platform designed to help consumers manage spending, increase savings and improve their financial management.
The company plans to combine digital banking services with an AI financial advisor that helps users understand their spending patterns and make financial decisions. Its proposed business model involves a flat monthly subscription fee rather than relying primarily on conventional banking transaction revenues.
Under the planned model, Matters intends to return certain revenues typically retained by banks, including interchange and foreign exchange fees, to customers through an accumulated cashback system.
Österström previously founded Sambla Group, a Nordic consumer loan brokerage business acquired by Nordic Capital in 2021. Matters is chaired by Lars-Åke Norling, the former CEO of digital investment platform Nordnet.
The company plans to use the new funding to pursue banking licence applications, expand into European Union markets, increase its 14-member team and grow its customer base. It may also consider strategic acquisitions as part of its expansion plans.
At the time of the announcement, Matters said it expected to introduce its first consumer product in the following weeks. The $5 million pre-seed investment brought its total disclosed funding to $5 million.
