Matters has raised $5m in pre-seed funding as it comes out of stealth, led by the Swedish angel investor Jakob Johansson. The Stockholm-based company is building an AI-native consumer bank.
Evertrace spotted Per Österström, founder of Matters, 265 days before the funding announcement.
Before the round
| Evertrace detected the signal | 23 January 2026 |
|---|---|
| Funding announced | 15 October 2026 |
| Time before the announcement | 265 days |
On 23 January 2026, Evertrace detected a stealth signal for Per Österström. Per was in stealth, working on something new. That was 265 days before Matters's funding announcement.
Per Österström previously founded Sambla. Lars-Åke Norling, the former CEO of Nordnet, is the chair of Matters.
What they’re building
Banks earn part of their revenue from fees that grow when customers manage their money less well. Matters combines neobank services with an AI advisor that helps users spend smarter, save more and reach their financial goals.
Users pay a flat monthly subscription. Revenue that banks usually keep, such as interchange and FX fees, goes back to them as cashback.
The round
Jakob Johansson led the $5m pre-seed round. Other investors include former Klarna COO Knut Frängsmyr, Voi co-founder Douglas Stark, Johan Bladh, Patrik Tran and Per Widerstrom. Matters will use the funding to apply for licences, expand across the EU, grow its team and win its first users.
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