Not your typical trading platform! Meet HeveaConnect. They're an online trading platform for natural rubber. (Yup, the sap that comes out of rubber trees.) Now, they've just raised a $7.1M Series A!

• They were founded in 2018 as a partnership between DBS Bank and Halcyon Agri Corporation.
• The world's leading tire makers, rubber producers and traders use their platform.

Before you go, "why rubber"? It's a huge business. Get this — they've already transacted over 600,000 metric tons of natural rubber worth over ∼$1B.

Investor check. Provident Capital Partners and DeClout Ventures co-led the round.

• Members of the firm's management team, including CEO Gerald Tan (who was employee #1 and promoted last year), joined the round. ESOPs are coming soon, too!

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💪🏼 Bringing it online

Trading rubber online through HeveaConnect makes it all more efficient, cheaper and simpler. But more than that, they're digitizing the entire global supply chain for natural rubber — from farmers and producers to buyers!

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🥇 Why it's better

It's never been easier to be #sustainable! Get in-depth data on whether the rubber was legally, sustainably and ethically sourced and processed. (Scoop Fact: SEA produces around 90% of the world's natural rubber— traceability and responsible sourcing protect our forests!) 🌳

• Rubber plantations need lots of land and can cause deforestation and air pollution. Oh, and don't you want to make sure zero exploitation or child labor is involved?

Get market history and trends. View competitive offerings and comprehensive data on market history and trends.

Find potential business partners to make trusted trades! Check out data on their reliability and reputation to help you make the right choice.

• They're also adding offerings like financing and insurance to support traders.

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⚡️ What's next?

The cash is to help develop their tech and continue building their natural rubber platform. But watch out, palm oil! They'll be expanding to other agri-commodities, starting with palm oil soon.