Stake Raises $8M, Acquires UMoveFree for Renter Savings

Stake, a comprehensive network designed for renters, has successfully closed an $8 million financing round, combining debt and equity. This significant capital infusion follows the company's impressive 4x revenue growth in 2025 and its strategic acquisition of UMoveFree, a leading apartment locating service in Texas. The integration of UMoveFree's capabilities is set to enhance Stake's offerings by providing renters with immediate financial advantages during their home search, a critical feature in today's affordability-challenged rental market.

The newly acquired UMoveFree platform has a proven track record, having assisted over 5 million renters and distributed more than $35 million in cash back incentives. Its established expertise in the multifamily sector, coupled with a proprietary leasing system that blends high-intent renter engagement with personalized service, makes it a powerful addition to the Stake ecosystem. This move positions Stake as the first fully integrated, AI-driven renter network, extending its services from initial apartment discovery through lease signing, rent payments, lease renewals, and financial wellness tools.

Rowland Hobbs, CEO and co-founder of Stake, highlighted the innovation, stating, "Until now, you couldn't reliably search for a deal on rent." He emphasized that the combined entity, powered by Stake's Cash Back offers, makes affordability transparent from the outset, allowing renters to benefit from savings at the decision-making stage, not retrospectively. The new funding will be instrumental in integrating and expanding UMoveFree's demand generation engine, scaling the cash back rental discovery model into new geographic areas, and accelerating product development across Stake's suite of renter savings tools.

The strategic financing was spearheaded by LAGO, with substantial participation from a consortium of notable investors including RET Ventures, Bluefield Capital, Hamilton Ventures, Gaingels, Hub Angels, and Second Century Ventures, the venture capital arm of the National Association of Realtors. This backing underscores confidence in Stake's vision to create a renter-centric financial ecosystem. The capital will fuel Stake's expansion in rental search and leasing services, alongside enabling further strategic acquisitions.

Stake's expanded platform now offers a holistic approach to renter benefits. This includes cash back upon lease signing via UMoveFree and partner properties, cash back on rent payments through the Stake Checking account (offering no monthly fees, early paycheck access, and instant rewards), and credit-building tools that report rent payments to major credit bureaus. For property partners, Stake provides Loyalty Cloud for performance insights and Stake+ to drive targeted renter incentives, creating a symbiotic relationship that benefits both renters and property managers.

The acquisition also integrates Lighthouse, whose mission and technology will be absorbed into Stake's search and onboarding processes. Matt See, CEO of Lighthouse, expressed enthusiasm for the expanded mission, stating, "Now we can expand that mission beyond search to paying, renewing, and even banking with Stake." The combined entity's Demand Generation services, powered by UMoveFree's team and technology, will now manage renter acquisition and campaign strategy across Stake's Property Network, which encompasses over 550,000 homes nationwide.