Bumped, a Portland, Ore.-based investment app, launched after years in a controlled beta. The app partners with brands to offer consumers fractional share rewards after making purchases.

Why should we care?
Bumped’s strategy is to position itself as a relationship builder for brands and consumers. The company partners with more than 1,000 brands which offer rewards to consumers. It’s part of a growing number of financial platforms, including fintechs Stash and MoneyLion, and incumbent Chales Schwab that are offering fractional share rewards. The benefit for the financial company is two-fold, because it boosts activity on the platforms and nurtures a network of brand relationships with retailers. It’s unclear whether fractional share rewards will rival the popularity of cash back rewards, but the objective is partly to introduce consumers to investing at an accessible price point. Bumped’s $30M Series A fund raise was led by Canaan Partners. Commerce Ventures, the Oregon Venture Fund, and Valor Siren Ventures, a joint venture created by Starbucks and Valor, also participated.