The French startup Hyperline aims to create a cutting-edge equivalent of Chargebee. Over the last two years, the company has developed an advanced billing platform that caters to recurring subscriptions, one-time purchases, usage-based billing, and more.
In 2023, Hyperline successfully secured an initial €4 million funding round from Index Ventures, which is approximately $4.1 million at the current exchange rate. Index Ventures is further demonstrating its confidence in Hyperline by investing an additional $10 million into the startup.
Billing may appear simple, but it can become a complex challenge as a business scales. According to founder and CEO Lucas Bédout, overseeing billing operations can be laborious. With more than 200 or 300 customers, daily checks are required to ensure accuracy and efficiency.
Errors can occur in pricing, items may be omitted from invoices, clients might request partial refunds, and automatic payments can frequently fail for various reasons.
Initially, the team considered improving existing solutions like Chargebee by 20%. However, they quickly realised that the landscape has evolved, and today, clients are primarily focused on automation and wish to minimise manual efforts such as processing invoices, dispatching reminders, and generating quotes.
Beyond subscription management, Hyperline has incorporated various pricing strategies. Clients can easily set custom pricing or introduce usage-based elements, allowing customers to pay based on their actual usage. Hyperline also directly manages invoicing processes.
During the payment process, although Hyperline does not directly handle transactions, it manages the associated activities. Bédout stated that Hyperline functions as an orchestrator where customers do not engage directly with payment processors.
Instead of navigating multiple platforms to connect with providers like Stripe, GoCardless, or Airwallex, Hyperline serves as a central interface, streamlining interactions with these payment providers according to geographical or payment method requirements.
Customers typically begin using the platform through the web interface. They can connect Hyperline to their CRM, enabling sales teams to generate quotes directly from the CRM system. In addition, integration with accounting software allows for efficient invoice processing and payment reconciliation.
Hyperline also provides an API, which is particularly beneficial for synchronising events from a data warehouse, specifically for usage-based billing.
Currently, Hyperline employs 14 individuals, with plans to expand the team to 25 in the near future. Their clientele includes companies such as Lokki, Malou, ScorePlay, Gladia, and Formance.
Bédout noted that the majority of their current clients generate annual revenues between €3 million and €10 million. However, Hyperline believes there is potential to collaborate with larger enterprises managing extensive invoicing volumes, which will necessitate partnerships with integration firms. This is an initiative that Hyperline is already testing.