SmallBusiness.co.uk is working in partnership with Finpoint to help you find the right finance for your business. This section provides comprehensive guides and articles on the different alternative finance options for UK small businesses and entrepreneurs. There are many different types available, including crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending, micro loans, equity finance and angel investments, plus various strands of asset-based lending and refinancing.
For smaller businesses looking to grow, alternative finance providers are often better aligned to their needs – not only because they can offer less strict criteria than traditional lenders like banks, but also because they can be more flexible and responsive whilst offering a better customer service.
The alternative finance market is a dynamic sector in the UK, driven by the country’s twin strengths in fintech and investment banking services. Business funding for British SMEs from alternative finance firms now tops £15bn annually and is set to grow strongly up to and beyond the 2020s. Read on for ideas, analysis and case studies to see if it could benefit your company as well.
Merchant cash advance is the fastest-growing area of business funding, enabling businesses to raise working capital against till sales. It’s a new way of funding driven by technology.
Digital technology and open banking are evolving invoice financing, explains Hector Macandrew. Digital entrants are disrupting the market, driving down costs
Cashflow - or lack of it - is one of the things that keeps entrepreneurs up at night. The first thing to do is understand what money is coming in and going out, says Simon Draper