Demand for alternative source of finance for small businesses is rocketing

May 5, 2013 @ 9:00 am By This Is Money |

Demand for alternative sources of finance is rocketing, with figures this weekend showing that lending to small firms through peer-to-peer lending site Funding Circle has passed £100 million. The site, set up less than three years ago, has grown so fast that experts estimate in ten years it could account for ten to 20 per… Read More

Read more in: General News, Global | Tagged crowdbnk, crowdcube, funding circle, peer to peer, seedrs

Could peer-to-peer lending plug finance gaps?

April 29, 2013 @ 4:57 am By BDaily |

Peer-to-peer lending models are filling the gap left by banks, suggests a new report from innovation charity, NESTA. ‘Banking on Each Other’ looks at the emerging field of peer-to-peer lending to business and the processes that drive borrowers and lenders to use the platforms. Data derived from Funding Circle, the largest peer-to-peer business lending site… Read More

Read more in: General News, Global | Tagged funding circle, nesta, peer to peer, uk

Crowdfunding In Europe: The Top 10 ‘Peer-to-Peer’ Lenders

April 23, 2013 @ 1:37 pm By Forbes |

Crowdfunders generally fall into different categories: equity, donation, reward, and debt. The last is also known as microfinancing — and commonly referred to in Europe as “peer-to-peer lending.” Here are the top 10 up-and-coming peer-to-peer lenders e making financial waves in Europe: 1. Zopa – This London-based P2P lender offers loans of up to £10,000,… Read More

Revolution in Business Lending Could Transform the British Economy

January 22, 2013 @ 1:25 am By The Telegraph |

Peer-to-peer lending has the potential to kickstart the economy by providing credit for small businesses Despite some encouraging signs, the UK economy remains in trouble. Growth remains weak and confidence fragile. Lending to small and medium businesses – the motor for job creation – has collapsed. A series of Government initiatives has so far failed… Read More

Read more in: Global, Politics | Tagged europe, funding circle, peer to peer, uk, zopa

Crowdfunding might be the solution funding problems, but too much could crowd out institutional investors

January 18, 2013 @ 4:03 am By Real Business |

Start-ups and early stage businesses have usually been the territory of the three f’s: friends, family and fools. Typically, when the f’s have been exhausted, the projects that survived and still show promise would turn to institutional providers – banks, debt providers and venture capitalists. However, these sources have effectively dried up over the last… Read More

Read more in: General News, Global, Politics | Tagged crowdcube, funding circle, kickstarter, uk, zopa

For Disillusioned SMEs Hope Is Not Lost

January 11, 2013 @ 7:14 pm By Business Review Europe |

2012 was a tough year for SMEs. The Eurozone crisis rumbled on, economies stagnated or contracted and the banks failed to lend the sums needed to help pull Europe out of the abyss. Government initiatives such as the Funding For Lending (FLS) scheme in the UK have done little to benefit small businesses. The banks… Read More

Funding Circle and Zopa revealed as peer-to-peer lenders receiving portion of Business Finance Partnership cash

December 12, 2012 @ 7:37 am By Growth Business UK |

As part of the Business Finance Partnership package, Cable has pledged £55 million to peer-to-peer lenders and other finance suppliers. The structure of the capital means that match funding from the private sector is expected to generate an extra £55 million, taking the total to £110 million over the coming years. Online debt lending platform Funding… Read More

Read more in: Global | Tagged funding circle, uk, zopa

Richard Branson backs ‘Bank to the Future’

August 21, 2012 @ 3:36 pm By Charles Luzar |

Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson lends support to former banker’s peer-to-peer platform which allows companies to raise debt, equity and donations in one place.