Sunlight
Sunlight (Sunlight API Inc.) is a San Francisco-based fintech providing AI-powered infrastructure that automates B2B card payments across supplier portals for fintechs, banks, card issuers, and AP platforms, converting ACH and check flows into card interchange revenue.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Sunlight does
Sunlight (Sunlight API Inc.) is a San Francisco-based fintech founded in 2021 that provides AI-powered infrastructure to automate B2B card payments for fintech companies, banks, card issuers, and accounts payable platforms. The company's platform uses machine learning agents to autonomously execute card payments across supplier vendor portals without requiring supplier onboarding or integration, converting ACH and check payment flows into card-eligible transactions and capturing interchange revenue for platform customers.
The platform consists of two integrated products: Agentic Portal Payments, an AI-driven engine that scans vendor portals, detects payment methods, and automates transactions end-to-end with full audit and compliance; and Card-on-File Updates, which automatically establishes virtual cards as the default payment method across vendor portals to maximize recurring revenue and share of wallet. The underlying technology combines AI modalities for structured bill data and text-based portal content, with a 'Universal Portal Integration' adaptive layer connecting thousands of vendor portals across heterogeneous tech stacks.
Sunlight operates a dual go-to-market combining enterprise direct sales to large fintech and financial institution customers with an API-first developer channel. The company monetizes through transaction fees (interchange captured on converted card payments) plus subscription or usage-based API/platform pricing. Named enterprise customers include Ramp, Bill, Brex, Tipalti, Melio, and Traild. The company holds SOC 2 Type II and PCI DSS certifications and is backed by Y Combinator, Liquid 2 Ventures, and Lombardstreet Ventures at the seed stage.
Sunlight firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sunlight
- Legal name
- Sunlight API Inc.
- Website
- https://sunlightapi.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sunlight (Sunlight API Inc.) is a San Francisco-based fintech providing AI-powered infrastructure that automates B2B card payments across supplier portals for fintechs, banks, card issuers, and AP platforms, converting ACH and check flows into card interchange revenue.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sunlight industry classification
Industry- Product category
- B2B Payments Infrastructure
- NAICS
- Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Card Issuing Platforms (Issuer Processing) (FSAGABAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- BNPL Card / Virtual Card Programs (FSAKACAC)
Keywords
Where Sunlight is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Sunlight business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Card Payment Processing: Sunlight earns revenue by enabling B2B platforms to convert ACH/check payments into card payments, capturing interchange fees. The platform monetizes by driving card-eligible transactions at scale across vendor portals.
- API/Platform Services: Provides AI-powered automation infrastructure to fintechs, banks, card issuers, and AP platforms via API integration, likely through subscription or usage-based pricing.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Sunlight product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sunlight provides an AI-powered B2B payments infrastructure platform that automates card payments across supplier portals. Its agentic AI engine executes card payments inside vendor portals without requiring supplier onboarding, converting ACH and check payments into card transactions to capture interchange revenue for fintechs, banks, card issuers, and accounts payable platforms. The platform also automatically establishes virtual cards as the default payment method across vendor portals to maximize recurring card spend.
Product overview
Sunlight is an AI-powered B2B payments infrastructure platform designed to grow card revenue for fintechs, banks, card issuers, and payables platforms. The platform consists of two integrated core products: (1) Agentic Portal Payments — an AI-driven engine that automates card payments across supplier portals at scale without vendor onboarding, converting ACH/check payments into card-eligible transactions; and (2) Card-on-File Updates — a companion product that automatically sets virtual cards as the default payment method across vendor portals, maximizing recurring spend and share of wallet. Together, these products enable financial platforms to unlock untapped B2B payment volumes and drive interchange growth without changing how buyers or suppliers operate.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Agentic Portal Payments AI-powered engine that executes card payments across any supplier portal at scale, enabling B2B payments platforms to unlock card-eligible invoices, automate payments end-to-end, and convert ACH/check payments into new interchange gains without supplier onboarding. Targets fintechs, banks, card issuers, and AP platforms.
- Card-on-File Updates Automatically sets virtual cards as the default payment method across vendor portals to unlock recurring card spend, grow interchange revenue, maximize share of wallet, and boost customer lifetime value — all without manual supplier onboarding.
Quantifiable outcome
- Turn ACH/check payments into card revenue with full audit and compliance trail
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Sunlight
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sunlight technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability5 records
Feature4 records
Sunlight partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Sunlight competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Plaid: Dominant financial connectivity/API layer connecting apps to bank accounts and payment rails. Comparable to Sunlight as a fintech infrastructure/API company serving the same enterprise customer base (Ramp, Brex, etc.).
- AvidXchange: Established mid-market AP automation platform with payment capabilities. Comparable in the B2B/AP payments space but broader and more incumbent than Sunlight's API-first, agentic approach.
Direct peers
- Ramp: Corporate card and spend management platform and a Sunlight customer. Comparable in targeting B2B card payment automation and interchange growth, and a potential in-house competitor to Sunlight's capabilities.
- Brex: Corporate card issuer and spend platform, also a Sunlight customer. Comparable in B2B card-payments focus and a potential in-house builder of agentic portal-payment automation.
- Modern Treasury: API-first payment operations platform for B2B money movement. Highly comparable to Sunlight in developer-first GTM, fintech/bank customer base, and focus on automating payment workflows via infrastructure rather than UI.
- Melio: B2B payments platform for SMBs and a Sunlight customer. Comparable in focusing on converting ACH/check into card payments on the buyer/supplier side.
- Tipalti: Global AP automation and supplier payments platform, also a Sunlight customer. Comparable in serving the same fintech/enterprise AP-buyer segment and competing for the same wallet share.
- Stampli: AP automation platform with card payment capabilities. Comparable as a B2B AP/card payments platform serving mid-market and enterprise finance teams.
- Bill.com: Major AP automation platform and a Sunlight customer. Directly comparable as a B2B/AP payments platform and overlaps in the goal of converting ACH/check spend into card payments.
Emerging players
- Pipe: Fintech infrastructure for B2B revenue/spend, focused on turning recurring contracts into card-based financing. Comparable as a fintech infra company adjacent to B2B card payments and interchange economics.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Sunlight social profiles
Digital presenceSunlight compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Sunlight financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sunlight leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Sunlight funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sunlight M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sunlight
What does Sunlight do?
Sunlight provides an AI-powered B2B payments infrastructure platform that automates card payments across supplier portals. Its agentic AI engine executes card payments inside vendor portals without requiring supplier onboarding, converting ACH and check payments into card transactions to capture interchange revenue for fintechs, banks, card issuers, and accounts payable platforms. The platform also automatically establishes virtual cards as the default payment method across vendor portals to maximize recurring card spend.
Is Sunlight a public or private company?
Sunlight is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Sunlight founded?
Sunlight was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sunlight based?
Sunlight is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sunlight make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Card Payment Processing is the primary driver. The others are API/Platform Services.
Who are Sunlight's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Plaid and AvidXchange. Direct peers are Ramp, Brex, Modern Treasury, Melio, Tipalti, Stampli and Bill.com. Pipe is listed as an emerging player.
Does Sunlight have an API?
Yes. Sunlight provides an API for developers to integrate its AI-powered B2B card payment automation capabilities. The API documentation is available at docs.sunlightapi.com (requires password/redirect). A status page is maintained at sunlightapi.checkly-dashboards.com. Developer documentation is at docs.sunlightapi.com/password?redirect=.
What industry is Sunlight in?
Sunlight's product category is B2B Payments Infrastructure. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAGABAD, Card Issuing Platforms (Issuer Processing), with a secondary code of FSAKACAC, BNPL Card / Virtual Card Programs. Its NAICS code is 522320 and its SIC code is 6199.