Wayra is Telefónica’s investment arm for startups, while Round Funded helps founders find investors and manage outreach. At AI Perks, we looked at Wayra and chose Round Funded to help us raise our round for the tools we wanted to use.
What is Wayra, and how does it work?
Wayra describes itself as Telefónica’s corporate venture capital arm. Its stated aim is to invest in startups and connect them with organisations in Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and Brazil. The company also reports more than 15 years of investing in and working with startups.
Its activities extend beyond direct startup investments. Wayra says it participates as a Limited Partner in venture markets such as the US and Israel, and has relationships with more than 15 strategic funds.
The exact opportunity depends on the location and program. Wayra’s German site, for example, describes a Munich Residency with workspace, mentoring and access to the Wayra and Telefónica ecosystem. Those details are specific to Munich, not necessarily a feature of every Wayra program. The German site also says startup programs do not have fixed application deadlines.
For founders, the core question is whether a corporate investor’s capital and business connections fit the company’s needs. Wayra says it invests in startups that could generate business with Telefónica, so founders should assess the strategic fit as well as the financing.
What investment terms does Wayra state?
Wayra’s published terms describe investment in seed and growth-stage startups. It says potential companies may have pre-money valuations up to €250M, and lists investment tickets from €150K to €5M. According to Wayra, investments are made in qualified rounds alongside leading venture capital firms, with Wayra taking a minority stake as a strategic investor.
One detail founders should clarify is the specific equity percentage. Wayra does not publish one standard percentage on its site. The stated ticket range and minority-stake description do not, by themselves, establish what a particular startup would receive or give up.
The commercial component is another part to consider. Wayra describes a venture-client model that can connect startups with Telefónica business units. For the Munich program, the German site separately mentions workspace and mentoring.
Before agreeing to any investment or program, founders can review the terms that affect ownership and future financing, including the equity percentage, check size, pro rata rights and fees. Those details should be confirmed for the specific offer rather than assumed from general program descriptions.
How does Wayra compare with Round Funded?
These options serve different purposes. Wayra is an investor and strategic program; Round Funded is a fundraising product for finding investors, sending pitches and tracking replies. We looked at Wayra, but chose Round Funded to run our raise.
| Topic | Wayra | Round Funded |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Telefónica’s corporate venture capital arm | Tools for finding investors, sending pitches and tracking replies |
| Capital | Wayra states tickets of €150K to €5M in qualified rounds | Founders raise from investors they select |
| Reach | Wayra names Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and Brazil as connection markets | 60,000+ active VCs, angels, family offices and accelerators, searchable by stage, industry, geography and check size |
| Pricing or equity | Wayra does not state one standard equity percentage | Round+ is $99 a month, Round Pro is $249 a month, or Lifetime is $899 one-time |
| Our decision | We considered Wayra | We chose Round Funded |
Round Funded’s investor coverage includes VCs, angels, family offices and accelerators. Investors are filtered for recent activity, with a check in roughly the last 6 months, and emails are verified. The product works in 12 languages.
Pricing is separate from any equity arrangement: Round Funded has no free tier. Round+ and Round Pro include a 3-day free trial for first-time accounts. Round+ supports up to 2,500 investors in the CRM pipeline, emails up to 2,000 investors a month and includes 2,500 AI credits a month. Round Pro supports up to 5,000 investors in the pipeline, emails up to 10,000 investors a month, allows up to 6 connected inboxes and includes 5,000 AI credits a month. Lifetime includes everything in Round Pro for a one-time payment.
To compare the approaches, consider whether you want to pursue a strategic investment with Telefónica or build a direct fundraising process with investors you choose. We at AI Perks chose Round Funded for its investor database, AI-written emails, convenient interface, teammate workspace, Data Room and tracking links. You can submit your startup on Round Funded to get matched with investors.
Why did AI Perks choose Round Funded?
We raised our round through Round Funded. We chose it because it brought the parts of our fundraising workflow we valued into one workspace.
- Investor database: We wanted a clean place to find investors. Round Funded covers 60,000+ active investors and supports searches by stage, industry, geography and check size.
- AI-written emails: The AI drafts personalized outreach emails and follow-ups for each investor.
- Convenient interface: Search, outreach and pipeline management are available within the product.
- Team workspace: We could invite teammates to work in the startup’s workspace.
- Data Room and tracking links: The Data Room puts a deck, traction, team and ask behind one link. It is free to build and share on every plan. Per-investor tracked links and engagement analytics, including views, deck opens and meeting clicks, come with Round+.
Those were the reasons behind our choice, not a claim that a corporate investor and fundraising software do the same job. Founders can assess Wayra’s stated investment terms and strategic model separately from the tools they use to organize a raise.
How Round Funded helps founders manage outreach
- Search the investor database by stage, industry, geography and check size.
- Choose investors and use the AI to draft personalized emails and follow-ups.
- Send outreach from your own Gmail, so replies arrive in your inbox and the email thread remains yours.
- Keep investors, fundraising stages and next steps in the pipeline, and invite teammates into the workspace.
- Build and share a Data Room link, then use Round+ per-investor tracked links to view engagement. To begin, submit your startup on Round Funded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wayra an investor or an accelerator?
Wayra describes itself as Telefónica’s corporate venture capital arm. Its stated work includes investing in startups and connecting them with Telefónica organisations. Program details vary by location.
How much does Wayra invest in a startup?
Wayra states that its tickets range from €150K to €5M in qualified rounds alongside leading venture capital firms. It also says it invests in seed and growth-stage startups at pre-money valuations up to €250M.
What percentage of equity does Wayra take?
Wayra says it takes minority stakes as a strategic investor, but does not state one standard equity percentage. Founders should confirm the proposed terms for their specific opportunity.
Can I raise from other investors alongside Wayra?
Wayra says its investments are made in qualified rounds alongside leading venture capital firms. Founders considering that route should clarify the round requirements and terms directly with Wayra.
Does Round Funded have a free plan?
No. Round Funded has no free tier. Round+ and Round Pro have a 3-day free trial for first-time accounts, and the Data Room can be built and shared on every plan. You can submit your startup on Round Funded.