For many growing businesses, revenue does not become useful cash the moment a customer receives an invoice. Weeks can pass before the payment arrives, while salaries, suppliers, inventory and new projects continue to demand money. Amsterdam based fintech Duqu is tackling that gap with a financing model that lets businesses unlock cash from invoices they have already issued, while using AI to make the underlying credit assessment faster.
Fresh Pre Seed Funding
Duqu has raised €1.5 million in pre seed funding from Curiosity VC and No Such Ventures. The company plans to use the capital to expand both sides of its business, its invoice advance platform and its AI powered underwriting technology.
The startup is focused on short term business financing rather than traditional invoice factoring. Duqu provides an advance against an outstanding B2B invoice, allowing a company to access part of its expected payment before the customer settles the bill.
According to Duqu, the financing is structured as a short term business loan. The company does not purchase the invoice, meaning the business retains ownership of the receivable and continues to manage its customer relationship.
Solving the Cash Flow Gap
Duqu is targeting a familiar problem for small businesses, freelancers and growing companies. A completed project may generate revenue on paper, but that money can remain unavailable while a customer works through a payment period.
The startup describes this as frozen working capital. Businesses may need cash immediately for salaries, materials, suppliers, marketing or their next assignment, even though the money from previous work is still sitting in unpaid invoices.
Duqu allows companies to select an eligible invoice and request an advance. Its platform says approved funds can reach a business account within 24 hours, while its current website reports an average payout time of around 13 hours.
Keeping Customers in Control
One of Duqu’s key differences from traditional factoring is that the customer relationship stays with the business.
The company does not use invoice assignment, meaning customers continue to receive the original invoice and pay the business directly. Duqu says customers are not informed that an advance has been taken against the invoice.
The model is designed to give businesses access to working capital without changing how they deal with their clients. Duqu also says there are no subscription or setup fees, with businesses paying only when they use an advance.
AI Behind Credit Decisions
Alongside its financing product, Duqu is developing technology designed to automate credit assessment.
The company uses banking and transaction information through PSD2 connections to assess a business’s financial activity and determine an appropriate financing limit. Duqu says its system can evaluate transaction history without requiring traditional paper based processes, while users retain control of their banking access.
This technology is intended to become a broader product opportunity. Duqu is developing its underwriting capabilities so that banks, lenders and other financial companies could potentially use the technology according to their own credit policies.
Building a Flexible Financing Model
Duqu says businesses can use its financing on individual invoices rather than entering into a long term commitment. Once an advance is repaid, the available financing capacity can become available again, creating a revolving source of working capital.
The company currently reports more than 1,000 businesses helped and more than €1 million in invoices advanced or processed through its platform.
Scaling From Amsterdam
With the new funding, Duqu is looking to strengthen both its financing platform and its technology infrastructure. Its Amsterdam headquarters reflects the company’s Dutch roots, while its platform is designed to support businesses working with customers internationally.
The larger ambition is to make access to earned revenue less dependent on traditional payment cycles. By combining invoice based financing with automated financial assessment, Duqu is building a model in which businesses can turn completed work into usable working capital sooner, giving them more flexibility to manage cash flow and continue growing while their customers follow their normal payment schedules.