Prague-based startup Tapaya, which enables banks, fintechs, and software platforms to embed in-person payments directly into their apps, has raised €1 million in a pre-seed round led by Passion Capital and co-led by Depo Ventures, with follow-on participation from BADideas.fund, Vestbee was told.
- Launched in 2025 by Laura Ďorďová, Roman Kuchařík, and Petr Zahradník, Tapaya builds a software layer that enables in-person payments on standard devices without relying on traditional card terminals.
- It provides a multi-platform SDK that companies can embed into their apps so smartphones, tablets, kiosks, or other commercial hardware can accept payments directly.
- The system is integrated through a self-service process where developers obtain access, install the SDK, and connect it to their application. Once active, it links the device to pre-integrated payment networks and acquirers, allowing transactions to be processed without separate terminal hardware or direct certification work by the developer.
- The platform also handles regulatory and security requirements in the background, supports multiple payment methods, and offers APIs for transaction data and analytics, while letting businesses adapt the payment interface to match their own product design.
Details of the deal
- Tapaya plans to complete PCI MPoC certification, expand its platform across Europe, and support integrations for banks, fintechs, and software providers, while also preparing for new payment trends like agentic payments and the digital euro.
“The team has already navigated the hardest parts of payments certification once, so they know exactly what they are abstracting away for their customers. In-person payments represent six times the transaction volume of online, yet the infrastructure available to software builders has barely evolved. Tapaya is changing the access equation for an entire layer of the market," explains Will Orde, Partner at Passion Capital.
