Deferred Announces $3.6M in Seed Funding to Modernize and Democratize Tax-Deferred Real Estate Investing

Funding Led by B Capital and Fika Ventures

Builds Upon Recent Momentum Following Acquisition of Plenti Financial in October 2024

LOS ANGELES, April 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Deferred, the first and only technology-powered Qualified Intermediary transforming 1031 exchanges for everyday real estate investors, today announced that it has secured $3.6 million in seed funding. This funding will accelerate Deferred's efforts to democratize real estate investing by leveling the tax playing field between institutional and everyday investors, ensuring broader access to valuable tax advantages historically leveraged by only institutional investors. The round was led by venture capital firms B Capital and Fika Ventures, with additional support from strategic investors including founders and executives at cutting edge companies such as Ramp, Zillow, SoFi, Compass, Opendoor, Plaid, and Newfront.

Founded in 2024 by proven PropTech entrepreneurs Judd Schoenholtz, Alex Farrill, and Aaron LaRue, Deferred modernizes and democratizes the 1031 exchange process to make tax-deferred real estate transactions more accessible, secure, and efficient for all investors. 1031 exchanges allow investors to defer capital gains taxes when selling a property by reinvesting the proceeds into another property.

While 1031 exchanges represent $100 billion in annual transaction volume, less than 10% of eligible real estate deals take advantage of the tax break, according to the National Association of Realtors. Deferred is addressing this gap with a modern, software-powered approach that streamlines exchanges, enhances security, and eliminates unnecessary fees. Key innovations include:

• AI-Driven Compliance & Automation to reduce manual tasks and simplify the exchange process.
• Robust Fund Security that leverages secure transaction rails for superior fraud prevention and transparency.
• No Fee Exchange Model which eliminates traditional exchange fees and sharing interest earned on held funds with clients.

"At Deferred, we're redefining what it means to be a Qualified Intermediary by combining cutting-edge fintech infrastructure with deep real estate industry expertise," said Judd Schoenholtz, Co-Founder and CEO of Deferred. "This funding enables us to expand access to 1031 exchanges, ensuring that every investor—not just institutional players—can leverage this powerful wealth-building tool."

"In just a few months, Judd and the Deferred team have streamlined a traditionally complex process, making 1031 exchanges more accessible and efficient. Their transformative platform provides significant tax advantages while simplifying a historically cumbersome system," said Gabe Greenbaum, General Partner at B Capital. "Deferred exemplifies the kind of AI-enabled innovation we seek to support—modernizing industries and unlocking new opportunities. We're excited to partner with Judd, Alex, Aaron, and the team as they reshape the 1031 exchange landscape."

"We are thrilled to partner with the Deferred team. They are applying innovative AI technology to a long-standing and real-world, practical use case while unlocking value for thousands of people and communities. Most importantly, they are doing it seamlessly and securely for their clients of all sizes," said Arteen Arabshahi, General Partner at Fika Ventures.

This seed funding follows the Company's recent acquisition of Plenti Financial, formerly 1031 Exchange Advantage, a Qualified Intermediary with experience facilitating nearly 7,000 1031 exchanges. Led by experienced real estate attorney David Greenberger who brings over 30 years of experience in the industry, Plenti has a proven track record of compliance excellence and customer satisfaction.

About Deferred
Deferred is a technology-powered Qualified Intermediary transforming 1031 exchanges for everyday real estate investors. By eliminating unnecessary fees, enhancing fund security, and leveraging AI-driven automation, Deferred is making real estate transactions simpler, safer, and more cost-effective. Learn more at Deferred.com.

About B Capital
B Capital invests globally in extraordinary founders and businesses shaping the future through technology. With more than $8 billion in assets under management and dedicated stage-based funds, the firm focuses on early-stage to late-stage venture growth investments, primarily in the technology, healthcare and climate sectors. Founded in 2015, B Capital has an integrated, global team across nine locations in the U.S. and Asia. The firm's value-add platform, together with the consulting expertise of its strategic partner The Boston Consulting Group, provides entrepreneurs with the tools and resources to scale quickly and efficiently, expand into new markets and build market-leading businesses. For more information, click here.

About Fika Ventures 
Fika Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on B2B software startups, with an emphasis on pre-Series A companies. Our expertise spans vertical SaaS, fintech, commerce enablement, healthcare, and marketplaces, particularly those harnessing AI to drive innovation. We pride ourselves on a hands-on, collaborative approach, viewing ourselves as true partners in building your business—not the other way around.

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SOURCE Deferred