AI-native personal finance platform Matters emerges from stealth with $5M pre-seed

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, 15 October 2026 – Matters, the AI-native personal finance platform, today emerges from stealth with a $5 million pre-seed funding round. Matters is led by Per Österström, the founder of Sambla Group, which he scaled to over 400 staff and approximately $200 million in revenue to become the Nordics’ largest consumer loan broker, sold to Nordic Capital in early 2021.

Matters is the second fintech venture by Österström, which he has founded to rebuild banking around intelligence and automation, deploying AI technology to make financial wellbeing available to anyone.

In this venture, customers will pay a flat monthly fee for neobank services, with an AI Advisor, to increase savings through more conscious spending to help customers reach their financial goals. Crucially, the secondary revenue streams that a traditional bank would receive from a customer (such as interchange revenues, FX fees) are returned to its customers via an accumulated cashback solution. Through aligned incentives with the customers, Matters can focus on creating as good a customer experience as possible and grow the business through strong retention and high loyalty.

The company is also announcing today that Lars-Åke Norling has joined as Chair. Norling is the former CEO of Nordnet, a leading European platform for savings and investments. During his tenure at Nordnet, the company’s market capitalisation increased tenfold, reaching SEK 80 billion in less than seven years. Norling brings a wealth of experience in regulated consumer fintech and technical expertise to Matters, as the company expands into banking.

The round is anchored by investment from Swedish angel investor Jakob Johansson. Other angel investors in this pre-seed round include Knut Frängsmyr, former Chief Operating Officer at Klarna; Voi Co-Founder Douglas Stark; Johan Bladh, CEO of equity investor Röko; Patrik Tran, CEO of Validio; and Per Widerstrom, CEO of Evoke.

Matters has raised this capital with the ambition of building an AI-native consumer bank to support customers in gaining control over their spending and increasing their savings. The pre-seed investment will also be used to apply for licences, expand across the EU market, add to its existing 14-person strong team, grow the user base and potentially make strategic acquisitions.

Dragging banking into the AI age

Personal banking was designed for a world where money moved slowly, advice was scarce, and every interaction needed human involvement. But banking transactions have doubled in the last decade, all while half of Gen Z and millennials don’t know where their money goes. With 80% of young adults citing regular money stress, Matters plans to leverage AI technology to help consumers retain and grow their savings. The goal is to offer customers financial peace of mind.

“Banks earn more when consumers manage their money worse. At Matters, we’re purposely travelling in the opposite direction.”

Per Österström, Founder and CEO of Matters, says: “Banks earn more when consumers manage their money worse. At Matters, we’re purposely travelling in the opposite direction. Our goal is to build a bank that actively makes financial wellbeing available to anyone, not just those who already enjoy it. This angel investment allows us to enact this vision. Keep an eye out for our first consumer product we are launching in the coming weeks.”

Lars-Åke Norling, Chair of Matters, adds: “I have spent my career in regulated consumer finance, deciphering when a financial product will and won’t work. I am therefore confident that Matters and Per, as a second-time founder with prerequisite knowledge of the field, will help consumers with their personal finances. I am proud to be joining as Chair and feel excited by Matters’ mission and the products we will reveal in the coming weeks and months.”