Gina LeBlanc wants her fintech startup to be to the payment industry as to what the iPhone was to the phone industry.
She knows it's a big claim to make.
"But we can stand by it," she said.
LeBlanc originally founded Lock Trust in 2013 and is headquartered in Safety Harbor. The company has several patents which help streamline financial woes, including escrow and state tax collection.
After raising a $3.5 million Series A round, she is now seeking $14 million, according to an SEC filing on December 11.
While she said she has gotten multiple offers for triple that amount of funding, each offer comes with wanting to own more than half the company.
"Everyone wants to own it and it's not for sale yet," she said. "There at least better be a 'B' behind the offer."
The company has over 20 employees and LeBlanc plans to hire 20 more local employees if and when the Series B is raised.
"It's what we need," LeBlanc said. "I don't believe in raising capital or selling off our company when we don't need to."
The company has 52 investors so far. Lock Trust is in a soft launch stage with three customers, including ride sharing company Trypp and a hospital in Texas. It's also acquired a Phoenix-based video platform called Advisor TLC in November.
While LeBlanc pointed to the fact women-owned businesses earn less than 3% of overall funding, she believes it's the best time to be a fintech startup in Tampa Bay.
"One of the things I think is noteworthy is everybody says Tampa Bay is not known as the fintech hub but I think that's rapidly changing," she said.
Correction: a previous version of the article stated LockTrust earned an endorsement from the Independent Community Bankers of America. The company did not. Tampa Bay Inno regrets the error.
