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.

Crowdfunding Case Study – Artesano raises £65,000 on Funding Circle

Knitting wool wholesaler Artesano raised £65,000 on Funding Circle, which matches lenders with businesses online.

Crowdfunding for Business

Alternative finance

Fundraising through equity-based crowdsourcing

Alex Kammerling founded spirit manufacturer Kamm & Sons in 2011 and raised £180,000 through Crowdcube, a website that offers equity-based crowdsourcing as a means of raising funds.

Alternative finance

Social Lending Websites – A new era for small business finance

The banks aren't interested, but social lending websites are. SmallBusiness.co.uk talks to three early-stage companies that have benefitted from the growing phenomenon in peer-to-peer SME fundraising.

Crowdfunding for Business

Funding, cubed

Crowdcube provides a platform for entrepreneurs of startups and growing businesses to connect with potential investors. SmallBusiness.co.uk talks to co-founder Luke Lang.

Alternative finance

Social Funding for SMEs 

If the banks say ‘no’, social investing could be the answer.

Alternative finance

How to raise angel finance

Business angels are those lucky types with enough cash to consider investing in early-stage businesses. SmallBusiness.co.uk speaks to owner-managers who never would have got their business off the ground without angel finance.

Alternative finance

Finding alternative funding for your industry

Until the economy returns to a position of normality and bank lending picks up again, SMEs are seeking alternative sources of finance.

Alternative finance

Alternative sources of financing

Bhodi Sunth, director at finance company Azure Global, outlines the options available when you need to raise funds.

Alternative finance

Finding alternative funding for your industry

Until the economy returns to a position of normality and bank lending picks up again, SMEs are seeking alternative sources of finance.

Alternative finance

Alternative sources of financing

Bhodi Sunth, director at finance company Azure Global, outlines the options available when you need to raise funds.

Alternative finance

Loving angels instead

Despite the efforts of Evan Davis and his Dragons, many start-up businesses are unaware of the existence of small-scale equity investors, such as business angels.

Alternative finance

A guide to asset based lending and invoice finance

Credit is what sustains most businesses. Without access to a working credit line, many small businesses would find it impossible to bridge the cash flow gap between the raising of an invoice and its eventual settlement.

Alternative finance

The facts about asset based finance

The commercial finance industry promises entrepreneurs a fast track to growth. SmallBusiness.co.uk talks to borrowers and lenders about the rewards and risks of asset based finance.

Alternative finance

Factoring: Get your funding to work harder

More and more owner-managers are recognising that significant time savings can be made if they outsource this element of their operations to factoring specialists, says Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance.