Tenka announces pre-seed round led by Maven 11 to build market infrastructure for asset-backed finance

LONDON, Sept. 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  Tenka, the liquidity platform for asset-backed finance, has closed its pre-seed round led by Maven 11, with participation from Gami Capital and several angel investors. The funding will support the build-out of market infrastructure connecting the origination, placement and trading of asset-backed finance instruments, pairing structured book-building with the foundations of an active secondary market.

Asset-backed finance funds everyday economic activity, from consumer loans and business receivables to equipment leases. Despite the scale of the market, private credit has a liquidity problem: investors seeking to exit before maturity typically rely on bilateral sales or fund-level redemptions, and recent moves by large private credit managers to cap or reshape withdrawals have underlined the distinction between receiving capital back over time and being able to exit when needed. Fund-level liquidity remains constrained by available cash and redemption terms.

"Asset-backed finance funds the real economy. We're building the infrastructure to connect it with more investors and develop a secondary market that provides better options for investors looking to exit," said Emile Dubié, CEO of Tenka.

"Private credit struggles with illiquidity more than asset quality. LPs are locked in for long durations and originators cannot recycle capital. Tenka opens a form of capital formation that did not exist for originators, allowing them to find untapped pools of capital directly onchain. For investors, it unlocks liquidity through the formation of a secondary market, so new investors can buy into opportunities and existing investors gain more flexibility with their strategies," said Alexander Essle, Principal at Maven11.

At origination, structured book-building brings investors together around each transaction's risk, return and duration, with consistent collateral information and clearly defined terms supporting more efficient underwriting. Working with Tranched's onchain securitisation expertise, Tenka combines ongoing collateral reporting, independent valuation and efficient settlement, so a prospective buyer can price an exposure without reconstructing it from scratch.

Tenka connects investors with different liquidity needs and investment horizons, allowing exposure to change hands without changing the maturity of the underlying assets. For example, an investor in a pool of equipment loans may need liquidity before those loans repay, while another investor may be willing to hold that exposure if credit quality, duration and price meet its mandate. A secondary market for asset-based finance connects the two without requiring borrowers to repay early or the fund to finance the exit.

Tenka is building towards a connected market for asset-backed finance, linking initial underwriting and book-building with ongoing price discovery and secondary trading, with the platform scheduled to launch later this year. The objective is not to turn long-duration assets into short-term ones, but to create a credible route to liquidity by enabling investors to transfer exposure. Liquidity depends on buyer demand and price, and an exit at net asset value is not guaranteed.

About Tenka

Tenka builds institutional dealing infrastructure for asset-backed finance, connecting originators, investors and liquidity providers in a single permissioned marketplace with independent valuation, consistent reporting and onchain settlement.

Media Contact

Emile Dubié, CEO

Company: Tenka

Email: info@tenka.fi

Website: https://www.tenka.fi

Country: St Helier, Jersey, Channel Islands

Tenka announces pre-seed round led by Maven 11 to build market infrastructure for asset-backed finance

Tenka announces pre-seed round led by Maven 11 to build market infrastructure for asset-backed finance