Rydoo, an international expense management platform, has acquired Semine. It is an Oslo fintech with expertise in AI-driven accounts payable (AP) automation. They did this as part of a strategic initiative to strengthen their presence in the finance automation sector. The acquisition is indicative of Rydoo’s efforts to enhance its solution portfolio. And address increasing enterprise-level demand for end-to-end spend management solutions.
Supported by private equity investment firm Marlin Equity Partners, Rydoo is emerging as a next-gen finance operations platform. The acquisition of Semine, with its cutting-edge invoice data extraction capabilities and machine learning-based AP workflows; Indicates a definite intention to bridge the chasm between expense control and automated AP processing. This is providing finance teams with more control and visibility throughout the entire spend cycle.
The cost of the acquisition was not revealed. But both companies highlighted their common vision for changing finance operations with smart automation.
Who is Rydoo and Semine?
Rydoo is a leading provider of expense management solutions globally, counting over 1 million users in more than 150 countries. With its contemporary, cloud-based approach, Rydoo makes travel and expense management easy for mid-sized and large organizations. Backed by Marlin Equity Partners, the company has scaled up significantly, particularly in the European and Latin American regions.
Semine, which is headquartered in Norway, has made a name for itself with its AI-driven AP automation technology. Its platform relies on semantic recognition, machine learning, and real-time analytics. To handle large numbers of invoices with minimal human intervention. Semine focuses mainly on Nordic businesses, especially industries with intricate finance workflows like real estate, energy, and public services.
The two firms combined intend to offer an integrated experience to finance groups. With the combination of expense tracking, invoice processing, and automation in one ecosystem.
Strategic Reasoning Behind the Merger
The acquisition comes at a time when finance leaders are prioritizing integrated automation solutions. They were doing it to reduce manual workloads and eliminate operational silos. By acquiring Semine, Rydoo gains access to a mature AP automation engine. This is capable of processing thousands of invoices daily with high accuracy.
This action enables Rydoo to move past the individual expense tool and into the larger universe of finance workflow orchestration. The plan is evident. Provide enterprise clients with a frictionless, AI-first experience that handles employee expenses as well as vendor invoices.
As automation becomes the focal point in CFO-initiated digital transformation strategies, Rydoo’s move to converge with Semine puts it squarely in competition with other finance automation platforms with similar convergence in sight, such as those in the ERP, procurement, and spend management space.
Understanding the Bigger Picture: Why AP Automation and Expense Management Are Converging
In the past five years, expense management and accounts payable (AP) automation have experienced a fundamental shift, spurred on by the advent of AI, cloud platforms, and finance digitization directives from enterprise leaders and CFOs.
Based on a 2024 Gartner report, more than 95% of the finance departments of mid-to-large organizations intend to implement AP automation solutions by 2026. And AI-based platforms have the highest growth rate. Meanwhile, the worldwide expense management software market of $4.08 billion in 2025 is set to cross $9.78 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 10.1% as per Fortune Business Insights.
This increased demand is due to a few fundamental changes:
- Manual processing of invoices is not only time-wasting but can also be subject to error and fraud.
- Businesses are under stress to get real-time visibility into vendor payables, cash flow, and employee expenses.
- CFOs are looking for platforms with automations, policy enforcement, and integration with existing ERP environments.
Fintechs such as Rydoo and Semine are just a portion of a larger trend to redefine finance operations using intelligent, AI-driven tools that automate tedious tasks and integrate disparate systems. Though the old-school ERPs like SAP and Oracle remain dominant in the core finance stack, they’re being complemented (or replaced) by quick-on-their-feet platforms with greater automation, improved UX, and quicker deployment.
This background allows us to see why Rydoo’s purchase of Semine is not another fintech M&A, but rather a strategic move to build an integrated ecosystem for autonomous finance where expense and AP workflows are happening in harmony, driven by smart data flows.
What This Means for the Finance Automation Landscape
The Rydoo–Semine agreement indicates a broader industry trend toward convergence in financial operations. Rather than disparate tools managing expense, AP, and procurement separately, companies increasingly seek combined, smart platforms that enable end-to-end efficiency.
This deal also underscores the increasing use of AI in finance automation. Semine’s invoice comprehension engine can read invoice line items, extract structured data, and apply custom business rules, abilities that finance teams are racing to implement to cut reliance on manual data entry and outsourced processing.
In a competitive landscape where players such as Expensify, SAP Concur, and Coupa are streamlining their automation, Rydoo’s action indicates a will to lead by innovation. The convergence of vendor invoice and employee spend data on one platform creates possibilities for predictive analytics, budget optimization, and real-time compliance.
Industry Reactions and What to Watch Next
Though official industry reaction is still unfolding, the decision has been hailed by Rydoo’s business customers looking for greater automation features. In the company press release,
Rydoo CEO Sébastien Marchon said that “the acquisition enables us to approach customers with a more comprehensive perspective of their financial information and provide automation where most needed.”
Semine’s CEO, Stian Rustad, also highlighted the strategic and cultural fit between the two firms, saying that “joining Rydoo accelerates our mission to modernize finance departments through AI.”
The only question is how Rydoo will incorporate Semine’s AP technology into its current interface and if it will sell the solution as a standalone AP module or as a bundled suite. The other important variable will be how fast the combined platform will be able to expand outside the Nordic market into wider EMEA and LATAM markets.
As finance departments drive operational flexibility and instant decision-making, technology that streamlines processes while minimizing hands-on intervention will become essential. By making this shift, Rydoo is sending the message that it is more than an expense platform; it’s shaping the future of autonomous finance.
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