Cleavr raises €1M debt to automate late invoice collections in France

In short: Cleavr, a Paris-based startup, has secured €1 million in debt financing to grow its AI system that helps companies get paid on time.

What happened

Cleavr, founded in 2025, said it has taken on €1 million in debt financing. This is the company’s first debt deal. The money is meant to fund its growth in France through 2026 and support later expansion into other European markets.

Cleavr focuses on “accounts receivable,” which is the money customers still owe a business. Its AI “collaborator” is designed to automate up to 80% of collection work. Think of it like an assistant that keeps track of invoices and sends reminders, then flags the hard cases for a person.

According to the report, the tool can follow up on unpaid invoices, handle basic back-and-forth when there is a dispute, match incoming payments to the right invoice, and contact customers by email, phone, or SMS. It can also connect to a company’s ERP system, which is the main software many businesses use to manage billing, inventory, and other operations.

Why it matters

Late payments are a real cash problem for many French businesses, especially smaller ones that cannot wait months to get paid. Tools like Cleavr’s aim to reduce the time and effort spent chasing money and to help companies keep enough cash on hand to pay staff and suppliers.

Cleavr’s deal also fits a bigger shift in France toward debt funding for startups. Private debt in France reached €15.9 billion across 379 deals in 2025, up from 2024, as some companies look for growth money that does not require selling ownership.

Source: Financial Times