Embedded FinTech Clair raises $23.2m to scale real-time wage access

May 22, 2025

Clair, a FinTech company specialising in EWA solutions embedded into workforce apps, has secured $23.2m in a Series B funding round.

The round was led by Upfront Ventures, which also led Clair’s Seed round, with continued backing from existing investor Thrive Capital.

Clair enables employees to access their earned wages instantly via a compliant, secure infrastructure powered by a partnership with national bank Pathward®, N.A., which originates the wage advances. The company offers a seamless experience for both workers and employers, providing liquidity between paydays while helping businesses attract and retain staff.

The new funding will support Clair’s continued product development and expansion, particularly by integrating its services into high-tech payroll and human capital management platforms. These platforms are increasingly seeking robust EWA capabilities to enhance employee benefits directly within the tools already used for scheduling and payroll.

Clair has reached over 29,000 business locations and aims to double down on its growth strategy with this latest investment. It recently launched a partnership with Gusto, a payroll and HR platform. Since launching in July 2024, the integration has seen strong adoption—43% of users took their first wage advance within two minutes.

Clair CEO and founder Nico Simko said, “We have crossed 29,000 business locations, and this Series B is arriving at the right time to allow us to double down on this solution. We strongly believe that payroll and workforce management providers are becoming workforce super apps, and embedding instant wage access as a simple 3-click solution right from the scheduling or payroll app they use every day is a major untapped market covering over 50M U.S. employees.”

Upfront Ventures general partner Aditi Maliwal said, “This partnership with Gusto validates the team’s deep understanding of employee needs, the culmination of years of user obsession. The opportunity in front of Clair is massive, and Clair’s elegant workflow and ability to integrate with a wide variety of partners make them uniquely positioned to bring Earned Wage Access to millions more workers.”

Clair previously raised a Seed round led by Upfront Ventures, although the specific amount was not disclosed in this update.