Kleva raises US$1.55 to automate collections with AI agents

Kleva, a Mexican startup focused on developing artificial intelligence agents for debt collection processes, announced the close of a US$1.55 seed round to accelerate the growth of its technology for banks, lenders, and fintechs.

The round was led by Wollef Ventures and included participation from Nascent, Kuiper VC and Lerer Hippeau.

AI agents to optimize collections and reduce costs

Kleva's Kleva focuses on automating financial institutions' contact centers with artificial intelligence agents specializing in debt collection.

According to the company, its technology enables banks, lenders, and fintechs to recover up to 25% more debt while reducing by up to 70% the operating costs associated with traditional collections processes.

With this solution, the startup aims to improve the efficiency of recovery teams and modernize the relationship between financial institutions and customers through AI-powered automation.

Founders with experience in technology and operations

Kleva was founded in 2025 by Mexican entrepreneur Ed Escobar and Argentine entrepreneur Juan Martín Pagella.

Escobar serves as the company's CEO and has experience as a serial founder, having previously created four startups.

Pagella, for his part, was Chief Commercial Officer at Sirena, a company acquired by Zenvia in 2020.

Both founders are also partners—though they are not currently active—in Sidetool, a consulting firm focused on operations and artificial intelligence.

Kleva aims to accelerate the use of AI in financial services

With this new investment, Kleva joins the growing wave of Latin American startups using artificial intelligence to transform financial and operational processes.

The company aims to position itself as a technology partner for financial institutions seeking to increase portfolio recovery while reducing costs and improving the scalability of their collections operations.