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Alternative finance

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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.

The benefits of invoice finance

Digital technology and open banking are evolving invoice finance, explains Hector Macandrew. Digital entrants are disrupting the market, driving down costs

Alternative finance

Alternative finance

A guide to peer-to-peer business lending for SMEs

In this piece, we find out about the peer-to-peer lending market and how to benefit from it.

Alternative finance

Is your business a good candidate for a merchant cash advance?

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.

Alternative finance

4 ways to improve your small business cashflow

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

Crowdfunding for Business

Crowdfunding UK small business: everything you need to know

Crowdfunding expert Rob Murray Brown explains everything you need to know about raising money for small businesses through crowdfunding in the UK

Alternative finance

Borrowing money to pay for stock: inventory finance, credit cards, loans and more

We explore the options that are available to help you cover the costs of your stock as well as the pros and cons.

Alternative finance

Pitalia Capital to invest £50m in small businesses

Equity fund can invest up to £10m each in growth capital for early stage businesses or management buyouts for mid-sized firms.

Alternative finance

Business finance options for UK construction firms

Funding Options explain what construction finance is and what options are out there for SMEs in the construction industry

Alternative finance

Pitalia Capital to invest £50m in small businesses

Equity fund can invest up to £10m each in growth capital for early stage businesses or management buyouts for mid-sized firms.

Alternative finance

Business finance options for UK construction firms

Funding Options explain what construction finance is and what options are out there for SMEs in the construction industry

Alternative finance

Forward Advances wants to lend £250m to small businesses by 2023

Forward Advances is the latest merchant cash advance provider to enter UK market alongside PayPal, eBay and Clearbanc

Alternative finance

Qardus opens Islamic finance to small business for first time

Crowdfunding platform hopes to arrange up to £2.5m worth of Islamic finance for SMEs over coming year

Alternative finance

Using Islamic finance for your small business – what is it?

Around 3.4m Muslims live in Britain, many of whom own their own firm. What is Islamic finance and how can you use it in your small business?

Crowdfunding for Business

3 ways start-ups can create irresistible investment proposals

Matthew Cushen, co-founder at Worth Capital, provides three ways start-ups can create irresistible investment proposals.

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