Deferred Raises $3.6M Seed Round to Democratize Tax-Deferred Real Estate Investing with AI-Powered 1031 Exchange Platform
Deferred, the first and only AI-powered Qualified Intermediary for 1031 exchanges, today announced it has secured $3.6 million in seed funding to modernize and democratize tax-deferred real estate investing for individual investors.
The round was led by B Capital and Fika Ventures, with participation from strategic investors including founders and executives from Ramp, Zillow, SoFi, Compass, Opendoor, Plaid, and Newfront.
Transforming 1031 Exchanges with Technology
Founded in 2024 by PropTech veterans Judd Schoenholtz, Alex Farrill, and Aaron LaRue, Deferred.com streamlines the 1031 exchange process — a powerful but underutilized tax deferral strategy in real estate. Through a secure, fully digital platform, Deferred helps investors defer capital gains taxes by reinvesting property sale proceeds into new real estate — a move traditionally reserved for institutional players.
Despite generating $100+ billion in annual transactions, fewer than 10% of eligible deals use 1031 exchanges due to the process’s complexity and lack of accessibility. Deferred solves this problem with a user-friendly, AI-enhanced platform that offers:
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✅ AI-Driven Compliance & Automation – Reduces manual work and guides users through the exchange process
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🔐 Secure Fund Management – Built-in fraud protection with transparent transaction rails
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💸 No-Fee Exchange Model – Eliminates unnecessary intermediary fees and shares earned interest with clients
“Deferred is reimagining what a Qualified Intermediary can be by combining cutting-edge fintech infrastructure with deep real estate experience,” said Judd Schoenholtz, Co-Founder and CEO. “This funding helps us make 1031 exchanges available to every investor — not just institutions — so more people can grow their wealth tax-efficiently.”
Backing from Industry-Leading Investors
“In just a short time, Deferred has transformed a complex, opaque process into a seamless experience that delivers real tax advantages,” said Gabe Greenbaum, General Partner at B Capital. “They’re doing exactly what we look for — using technology to unlock smarter ways of building financial value.”
“Deferred is tackling a high-impact use case with powerful AI,” said Arteen Arabshahi, General Partner at Fika Ventures. “They’re unlocking value for thousands of everyday investors — securely, efficiently, and at scale.”
Strategic Growth Through Acquisition
To support its fast growth and operational depth, Deferred recently acquired Plenti Financial (formerly 1031 Exchange Advantage), a leading Qualified Intermediary with nearly 7,000 exchanges completed. Plenti is led by David Greenberger, a seasoned real estate attorney with over 30 years of compliance expertise in the 1031 exchange space.
About Deferred
Deferred is a modern, technology-powered Qualified Intermediary for 1031 tax-deferred real estate exchanges. The platform eliminates outdated processes, reduces fees, increases security, and uses automation to make real estate investing more accessible and tax-efficient for individual investors.
🌐 Learn more at www.Deferred.com
About B Capital
B Capital is a global venture capital firm investing in technology, healthcare, and climate innovation. With $8B+ in AUM and a presence in nine cities across the U.S. and Asia, B Capital partners with companies at every stage of growth.
🔗 Learn more: https://www.bcapgroup.com
About Fika Ventures
Fika Ventures is a Los Angeles-based VC firm focused on early-stage B2B software startups. With expertise in AI, SaaS, fintech, and marketplaces, Fika partners closely with founders to scale innovation that solves real-world problems.
🔗 Learn more: https://www.fikaventures.com
