Kova: Community Finance Platform

Last year, Udo sent his share of rent and utility bills to his flatmates right on time. But others didn’t. The delay triggered late fees and threw off his personal budget. This year, in a new apartment where he was responsible for making full payments, Udo took charge—reminding everyone, chasing receipts, and covering shortfalls from his own savings just to avoid penalties. His credit score took a hit, and so did his peace of mind.

In December, Tolu planned her friend’s birthday trip. Everyone agreed to contribute, but some paid late, one sent money to the wrong account, and Tolu ended up juggling spreadsheets, following up, and plugging financial gaps herself.

Udo and Tolu aren't alone. Across cities, people in shared living or group plans—whether it’s rent, trips, birthdays, or burials—lose money, strain relationships, and miss out on opportunities because others delay or forget. There’s no built-in system for shared financial responsibility. One person always ends up doing the most—with the least support.

We’re building a tool that takes the stress out of shared payments. You can agree on how much everyone owes, send out requests, get real-time updates, and see exactly who has paid—no chasing, no guesswork, no awkward reminders. It’s transparency and structure for when money is moving between friends.

Kova is a simple, transparent way to manage shared group contributions — from rent and utilities to trips, parties, and community projects. Instead of chasing payments, guessing who’s paid, or covering costs yourself, Kova helps groups decide what everyone owes, track payments in real time, and keep everyone updated until the goal is met. It’s not crowdfunding — it’s co-funding, for the things you and your people already agreed on.

Over 80% of the people we spoke to said late payments or unfair contributions cost them money, friendships, or disrupted their plans. But nearly all agreed: if there was a simple, transparent way to manage group money, they’d do it again. We’re turning that insight into action—starting with Udo, Tolu, and everyone who just wants shared money to work better.