Tagged: small businesses

Xero Introduces Tax Manager, Providing Single Place for VAT, Personal Tax, Company Accounts Tax

Xero, the global small business platform, has launched several updates to its practice tools at UK Roadshow, including “a new tax manager feature in Xero HQ, an important feature in its plan to more seamlessly connect Xero Practice Manager (XPM), Xero HQ and Xero Tax.”… Read More

UK’s Alba Bank Adopts nCino Cloud Banking Platform for SME Lending

nCino, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCNO), a key player focused on cloud banking for the global financial services industry, announced that Alba Bank has made a significant step “towards supporting the UK’s small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) by adopting the nCino Cloud Banking Platform.” As a secure… Read More

SMEs Show Resilience Despite Persistent Inflation But Rising Interest Rates Pose Challenges – iBanFirst Report

For SMEs, the year 2023 could mark a “turning point.” They have shown resilience “despite persistent inflation and the war in Ukraine, but they are now having to face rising interest rates which is making life tough for them for three reasons,” according to iBanFirst,… Read More

Fintech Enfuce and Funding Circle to Introduce Business Credit Cards for SMBs

Enfuce, a provider of embedded finance solutions, has revealed a new partnership with UK-based small business lending platform Funding Circle (LSE: FCH) to launch its new small business credit card as part of its FlexiPay product. FlexiPay is a revolving line of credit that “helps small… Read More

Digital Banking: AMP to Use Engine by Starling to Launch Virtual Bank for Small Businesses

AMP will be launching a digital bank division built specifically “for the transaction needs of sole traders and small business.” AMP will work with Engine by Starling, the SaaS subsidiary of UK digital bank, Starling Bank Limited, allowing it to leverage: Starling’s ‘Engine’ technology platform,… Read More

British Business Bank Introduces £70M Investment Fund for Northern Ireland

The British Business Bank launches a new £70million commitment to support smaller businesses from all sectors right across Northern Ireland. The Investment Fund for Northern Ireland (IFNI) aims “to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunities for new and scaling businesses… Read More

UK SMB Owners Unable to Pay Themselves Because of Cash Flow Problems, Report Claims

Ongoing economic challenges have caused two in five (41%) small business owners to sacrifice their salaries, and one in three (34%) to use their personal funds, “to keep their businesses running,” according to new research from global small business platform Xero. The Money Matters report… Read More

High Street Banks Reduce Appetite to Fund UK SMEs, iwoca Research Claims

Over eight in ten SME finance experts (83%) believe that high street banks are reducing their appetite to fund the UK’s 5.5m small and medium-sized businesses, according to iwoca’s latest Q3 2023 SME Expert Index. The analysis shows that “the drop in lending is set… Read More

Funding for US Small Businesses: Bank of America Provides Financing to Veteran Loan Fund

Bank of America (NYSE: BAC) is seeding a second round of financing for Veteran Loan Fund, doubling a two-year-old commitment that has already funded more than 500 small businesses built by former military personnel that “have created or retained more than 3,000 jobs across 37… Read More

American Express Business Checking Is Now Offered to Eligible US Small Businesses

American Express (NYSE:AXP) announced that American Express Business Checking is now available to any eligible U.S. small business, “offering a digital banking experience with no monthly maintenance fees, 24/7 service, and the ability to earn and redeem Membership Rewards points with select travel partners and… Read More

Insurtech Firm Coterie Insurance, Five Sigma to Create Long-term Value for Small Businesses

Coterie Insurance, the partnership-focused insurtech MGA simplifying small business insurance, announced a new partnership with Five Sigma, a claims management platform designed to streamline claims handling. The two companies are committed to “delivering innovation to simplify the insurance process across the value chain.” Morgan Smith,… Read More

Singapore Small Business Owners Dip into Personal Savings, Raise Prices to Mitigate Increasing Costs – Report

Singapore small business owners are dipping into their personal savings, increasing their prices, and not paying themselves to mitigate rising costs and make a profit, according to a new report from global small business platform Xero. The report titled “Money matters: navigating the impact of… Read More

Mindaugas Mikalajūnas, CEO at SME Finance: Industry Exec Explains How Fintech Can Enhance SME Sector 

We recently spoke with Mindaugas Mikalajūnas, Cо-Founder and CEO of SME Finance, a Vilnius-based Fintech reinventing growth financing for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across Europe. SME Finance aims to fill a gap left by risk-averse banks and high-cost alternative lenders. Led by Mikalajūnas with… Read More

Latin America’s International Trade Platform Finkargo Closes Series A

Finkargo, the international trade platform empowering small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with global sourcing, trade services and embedded financing, announced a $20 million Series A financing. The investment round was led by QED Investors, “with the participation of new investor Nazca and existing investors Quona,… Read More

Insurtech Cowbell, a Cyber Insurance Provider for SMEs, Announces New Financing

Cowbell, a provider of cyber insurance for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), today announced significant momentum and new financing on the heels of its top-grossing quarter and amid continued corporate growth. Cowbell’s new financing builds on its $148M raised to-date. Cowbell announced a new investment… Read More

Funding Circle Receives 7(a) SBLC License from US Small Business Administration

Funding Circle (LSE: FCH), the online platform for small business loans, announced that we have received a formal notice from the US Small Business Administration (SBA) that their application has “resulted in a tentative award for an SBA Small Business Lending Company (SBLC) license to… Read More

Insurtech: NEXT Insurance, Allstate, Allianz X Partnership Supported by $265M Investment

NEXT Insurance, a technology-first small business insurer, announced its strategic partnership with Allstate that will combine the companies’ expertise in small business insurance to develop and “offer innovative and unique new products to a large underserved market, as well as a commitment to deepening its… Read More

Small Business Banking Satisfaction Surges as Digital Support Channels Improve – Report

Small business owners are more optimistic about the future than they were a year ago, with slightly more than half (54%) “saying their business is financially healthy, but inflation is still having a negative effect.” According to the J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Small Business Banking… Read More

Insurtech: NEXT Insurance Now Claims Half-Million Customers

NEXT Insurance, a digital small business insurer, achieved a marked milestone in reaching 500,000 active small business customers. Throughout NEXT’s journey as a digital insurer, its commitment to the small business community has “remained paramount, driving all aspects of its continued product innovations, partnerships, and… Read More

Fintech iwoca Report: UK Business Growth Remained Steady in H1 2023

Despite a challenging economic environment, 101 new businesses were created every hour across the UK in the first half of 2023, according to research by iwoca – one of Europe’s largest small business lenders. Analysis of Companies House data reveals “that over 436,000 businesses were… Read More

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