Growth financing for SaaS companies

High-growth SaaS companies need capital to scale, but often want to do so without selling any shares. This is precisely where modern forms of financing come into play, such as growth debt. Ein aktuelles Beispiel ist die Wachstumsfinanzierung von BBVA für Lanes & Planes, einen führenden Anbieter für digitales Geschäftsreise‑ und Ausgabenmanagement.

Growth debt is a form of financing that is specifically tailored to scalable, technology-driven companies. It combines debt financing with a clear focus on growth.

The most important advantages:

• no dilution of the shareholder structure
• financial flexibility for expansion and product development
• plannable repayment structures
• ideal for businesses with recurring revenue

For medium-sized SaaS companies especially, growth debt is becoming an attractive alternative to traditional equity rounds.

BBVA hat Lanes & Planes eine Wachstumsfinanzierung in zweistelliger Millionenhöhe gewährt. The agreement, concluded at the end of 2025, is intended to facilitate the company's continued growth in 2026 and beyond.

The financing secures:

• sufficient liquidity for scaling
• focus on operational and strategic goals; long-term planning security

For BBVA, the transaction is part of a clear strategy of providing targeted support to innovative companies that have a strong focus on technology.

Lanes & Planes ist ein Münchner SaaS‑Unternehmen, das Geschäftsreisen und Ausgabenmanagement in einer zentralen CFO‑Plattform zusammenführt. The solution functions as a system of record for complex travel and billing processes.

Key figures at a glance:

• founding: 2017
• tripled sales in three years
• over 1,500 customers
• Customers from medium-sized businesses and enterprises

Investors: Smash Capital, Battery Ventures, DN Capital, Coparion

Companies such as Enpal, Personio and the edding Group are already using the platform.

In many companies, travel and expense processes are still fragmented. Different tools, manual steps and a lack of transparency mean that they are often time-consuming.

Digitale Plattformen wie Lanes & Planes bieten hier klare Vorteile:

• automation, from booking to invoicing
• up to 30% lower travel costs
• better oversight and transparency for finance teams
• high level of user-friendliness for employees

In medium-sized businesses especially, efficiency in the area of finance is increasingly becoming a strategic success factor.

BBVA verfolgt mit ihrer Venture‑ & Growth‑Lending‑Einheit einen klaren Ansatz: long-term partnerships instead of short-term transactions.

„Unser Ziel ist es, innovative und ehrgeizige Unternehmen mit starkem langfristigem Potenzial zu unterstützen“, sagt Donatella Callegaris, Head of Venture & Growth Lending bei BBVA in Europa.

Die Finanzierung von Lanes & Planes ist bereits der zweite Growth‑Deal von BBVA in Deutschland, nach der Venture‑Debt‑Transaktion mit Roadsurfer. BBVA has also implemented similar financing projects across Europe, including in Finland, the United Kingdom, and Portugal.

Für Lanes & Planes ist die Wachstumsfinanzierung ein zentraler Meilenstein. CEO and co-founder Veit Blumschein emphasizes it strategic importance in particular:

• more financial leeway for scaling
• focus on continuing to develop the end-to-end solution
• strengthening one's market position in Europe

With BBVA, the company gets an international financing partner with experience in the European tech ecosystem.

Das Beispiel Lanes & Planes zeigt, wie passgenaue Wachstumsfinanzierung aussehen kann. Growth debt enables SaaS companies to drive their expansion without giving up oversight or shares. In so doing, BBVA positions itself as a bank for the next growth phase, with technological expertise, structured financing solutions and a clear focus on long-term success.