Alternova Joins as Equity Partner, Contributing Design, Engineering, and Technology Development to Power the ExchangiFi Platform
Palm Beach Gardens, FL (August 20, 2025) — ExchangiFi, LLC today announced a strategic partnership with Alternova, a technology investment firm that builds software as an equity partner rather than a vendor. Under the agreement, Alternova is contributing its design, engineering, and development expertise in exchange for an ownership stake in ExchangiFi, aligning both teams around a shared outcome as the company prepares to bring its platform to market.
ExchangiFi is building the first dedicated platform connecting wealth managers with ETF issuers for Section 351 tax-deferred exchanges. Its software automates compliance testing and portfolio optimization, turning a process that has historically been managed through spreadsheets and manual workflows into a streamlined, technology-driven transaction. The platform coordinates between wealth managers, ETF issuers, custodians, and Authorized Participants to help seed new ETFs without triggering immediate capital gains taxes for contributing investors.
The partnership between ExchangiFi and Alternova is rooted in a track record that spans multiple ventures. Alternova’s CEO, Ricardo Velasquez, previously worked with ExchangiFi Founder and President Matthew Bucklin on two earlier companies, initially as a development team billing hours on a project basis. The ExchangiFi engagement marks a deliberate shift in that model, with Alternova taking a meaningful equity position and committing its full design and engineering capabilities to the company’s launch and growth.
“I have worked with Ricardo and the Alternova team before, and the quality of what they build has always been exceptional,” said Matthew Bucklin, Founder and President of ExchangiFi. “What makes this partnership different is that we are building this together. Alternova has real skin in the game, and that changes everything about how a technology team shows up. We are aligned on the outcome, not just the deliverable.”
“ExchangiFi is exactly the kind of company we want to back,” said Ricardo Velasquez, CEO of Alternova. “The problem is real, the market is large, and Matt is the right person to lead it. Our model is built around founders who know how to open doors and move markets, and we come in with the technology to match that. We are not a vendor here. We are partners, and we are fully invested in seeing this platform succeed.”
Alternova operates as a self-funded, independent technology investment firm with a portfolio of ventures across fintech, health, and education. The firm invests its design and engineering capacity as equity in companies it believes in, working alongside founders from early development through market launch. Its AI-enhanced development model is built to deliver enterprise-grade software at a pace and scale that would otherwise require a much larger team.
“Having a technical partner of Alternova’s caliber co-own this outcome with us means we move faster and build better,” Bucklin added. “Section 351 exchanges are technically demanding, and the software has to be right. This partnership gives us the team and the accountability to get there.”
ExchangiFi plans to formally unveil its platform later this fall, with initial users drawn from wealth management firms and ETF issuers already exploring Section 351 exchange opportunities.
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About ExchangiFi, LLC ExchangiFi provides a platform that connects ETF issuers and wealth advisors for Section 351 ETF exchanges. Its software supports the transaction by helping participants optimize portfolios, manage documentation, track capital commitments, and coordinate fund seeding. ExchangiFi is designed for simplicity and ease of use so wealth advisors can serve their clients better. ExchangiFi provides software solutions only and does not offer tax, legal, or investment advice. For more information, visit https://exchangifi.com/.
About Alternova Alternova is a technology investment firm that builds software as an equity partner for founders in fintech, health, and education. Rather than billing hours, Alternova invests its design, engineering, and development expertise directly into companies it believes in, co-owning the outcome alongside the founding team. Alternova is self-funded, independent, and focused on companies with strong go-to-market leadership and a meaningful problem to solve. For more information, visit https://alternova.com/.
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