Ctrl Alt, founded by an ex-Morgan Stanley trader, offers alternative asset investment tools. Check out the 10-slide pitch deck it used to raise $2.7 million.

• London-based fintech startup Ctrl Alt has raised $2.7 million in seed funding.
• The company, founded in 2020, offers software for investment platforms to provide alternative assets.
• Check out the 10-slide pitch deck Ctrl Alt used to raise the fresh funds below.

Ctrl Alt, a fintech startup that provides infrastructure for alternative asset investments, has raised $2.7 million in a seed round.

Former Morgan Stanley trader Matt Ong founded the London-based company in 2020, and it has built a suite of products for fintechs and investment platforms that allow them to offer access to fractionalized assets distributed using blockchain technology in areas such as property and green energy.

“Alternatives is an intimidating space in many ways because it’s bucketed as anything that’s not stocks and bonds, so it’s a daunting universe that we’re tackling but an exciting one,” Ong said in an interview with Insider.

“We have previously been criticized for being asset agnostic but these asset classes can be particularly valuable in down markets but also in stronger times, so we can move with the macroeconomic conditions.”

Alternative assets are more opaque and illiquid than traditional sectors such as stock markets, but they can be higher-yielding options for investors with a higher risk tolerance. Alternatives could provide new revenue opportunities for fintech startups that offer wealth management and investment products, according to Ong.

Forward Partners and Middlegame Ventures led the seed funding round, which was joined by a group of angel and existing investors including Enterprise Ireland, Algorand Ventures, 365.fintech, and Syndicate Room.

“The market is tough for fundraising and that has an impact on you as a founder,” he said. “It was challenging to pitch a product that hadn’t been done before from asset class and product perspective but we wanted these funds to lead our round.”

VC investors are increasingly prioritizing B2B fintech propositions over consumer-focused offerings.

The new funds will be used to expand Ctrl Alt’s tech team and its relationships with potential customers. In addition, as it grows, the company plans to hire five new employees, primarily in technology and development.