Ridero, a financial technology startup focused on vehicle leasing and financing, has raised $2.7 million in pre-seed funding to develop its platform for lenders and automotive dealerships.
The funding round attracted investment from RiverPark Ventures, NY Ventures, Green Egg Ventures, Blackpoint Capital and Potamkin Ventures.
Ridero is developing technology to help lenders and dealers structure and manage vehicle leases and financing options based on a vehicle’s expected future value. Its platform focuses on residual-value financing, which allows customers to make payments based partly on the vehicle’s estimated value at the end of the financing term.
“Millions of vehicles have historically been difficult to lease because the financial infrastructure needed to support them at scale hasn’t existed,” said Ridero co-founder and CEO Brock Thompson, who was previously at The Carlyle Group and The Amherst Group.
“We’re building that infrastructure to give lenders and dealers more ways to make vehicles affordable and accessible,” said Natalie Williams, the company’s co-founder and chief technology officer. Williams was previously at Capstone Investment Advisors and UBS.
Rising Vehicle Costs Create Demand for New Financing Options
The funding comes as vehicle purchase costs and monthly payments remain high in the United States.
According to Kelley Blue Book, the average transaction price for a new vehicle reached $50,562 in September 2026, while the average monthly payment was $776.
Experian’s first-quarter data also showed that average monthly loan payments reached $770 for new vehicles and $531 for used vehicles. Nearly one-third of auto loans had repayment terms longer than six years.
Ridero aims to give dealerships and lenders additional ways to structure financing offers, including leases and balloon-financing arrangements. These options can reduce regular payments but may leave borrowers with a larger payment at the end of the agreement.
Platform Connects Dealerships and Lenders
Ridero’s platform combines deal structuring, risk analysis and lender connections to support vehicle financing offers.
Its website also describes a consumer-facing service that allows buyers to compare used-car lease options and monthly payments before visiting a dealership.
The company says its technology is already being used at dealerships across the northeastern and southern United States. However, it has not disclosed the number of dealerships using the platform or provided figures on revenue and customer savings.
Ridero has also partnered with Auto Financial Group (AFG), following an announcement in October. Under the partnership, AFG provides lending programmes and expertise in vehicle residual values, while Ridero contributes its technology platform and dealership network.
The company has also integrated its platform with Tekion, a provider of dealership management software.
Funding to Support Product Development and Expansion
Ridero plans to use the $2.7 million funding to develop its technology, establish additional institutional partnerships and expand its team.
The company is targeting lenders and dealerships looking for new ways to offer vehicle financing based on future vehicle values. Its platform aims to connect financing providers, dealers and consumers through a more flexible vehicle financing process.
