Alternative funding is an area of business finance that offers loans, investment and other types of support, but without the traditional methods of some of the high street banks. Sources of money include peer-to-peer lending, crowdfunding, specialist lending and angel investment. We're experts in this area, so read our articles for the low-down.
Open Banking: What Does it Mean for SMEs?
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Open Banking has the power to transform how the financial industry works for consumers and business in the UK. We take a look at what this means in practice for SMEs
Supporting Female-Led Startu-ps with Investment
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We delve into how male startup owners in the UK receive a disproportionate amount of investment compared to females, and how this can be changed
A Sole Trader’s Guide to Alternative Finance
— Read More — A Sole Trader’s Guide to Alternative FinanceA Sole Trader’s Guide to Alternative Finance
If you're a sole trader operating in the UK, it's worth considering the alternative finance options available to you. Here's our guide, covering crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, and more
Creating a Pitch Deck To Secure Investor Funding
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Creating your first pitch deck can seem like a daunting task. To help you get started, Mike Sims of ThinkLions shares three ways to leverage your pitch deck to win over investors
The Start-up Guide to Business Funding
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Here’s a quick look at the main funding options available to budding startup founders across the UK, including bank funding, angel investment and government grants
What is Fintech?
— Read More — What is Fintech?Here's our view of how fintech works and the impact it's having on the landscape of the UK economy
The Changing Tide of Women in Finance
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The numbers of women in the financial services industry has been a topic of contention for a few years now but, slowly, the tide is changing. Aanisah Begg of Midven takes a look at why
How to Download a Bank Statement
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A simple guide to downloading a bank statement from all of the major UK banks, including Lloyds, Barclays, NatWest, HSBC, Nationwide, Santander and RBS
Cryptocurrencies: What Does the Future Hold?
— Read More — Cryptocurrencies: What Does the Future Hold?Cryptocurrencies: What Does the Future Hold?
With more people buying and trading in cryptocurrencies, some have suggested they could eventually replace traditional currency. But how likely is that?
Asset-Based Lending: a Guide for Small Businesses
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Is asset-based finance a good fit for your business? This guide examines the pros and cons of factoring, invoice discounting and asset-based lending
Secured vs Unsecured Loans: Explained
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Compare secured vs unsecured loans for personal and business finance. Explore advantages and disadvantages of secured and unsecured borrowing features today.
RBS Business Loans
— Read More — RBS Business LoansHere's a quick look at the RBS business loans currently available to UK SMEs, including the RBS small business loan, business overdraft and business credit card
The Five Best Crowdfunding Sites for Your Business
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Crowdfunding has given startups and SMEs an exciting new route to investment, but what are the five best crowdfunding sites for UK businesses?
How Does Crowdfunding Differ to P2P Lending?
— Read More — How Does Crowdfunding Differ to P2P Lending?How Does Crowdfunding Differ to P2P Lending?
Crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending are often lumped together, but there's an important distinction between these two types of business finance
The Small Business Guide to Kickstarter
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Launching your next product on Kickstarter could be the best and worst thing you ever do. Here's our guide to navigating the crowdfunding minefield
The Lowdown on Revenue Advance
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Revenue Advance is one of the most flexible business loans available to SMEs. But how exactly does it work and what types of business does it suit best?
What is Equipment Leasing?
— Read More — What is Equipment Leasing?Want to invest in new equipment for your small business without compromising cash flow? Equipment leasing could be the answer to your problems
Funding Circle: Leading Peer-to-Peer Lender
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Find out what the big deal is about Funding Circle, the $1 billion P2P lending platform that offers great business borrowing and investment opportunities
The Changing Face of Trade Finance
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Trade finance expert looks at the rise of UK exporting, business funding and the future of trade finance
Top 10 Fintech for Small Businesses
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We delve into the prestigious FinTech50 2015 list of the hottest European Fintech firms to find the top 10 offering valuable tools to SMEs including Klarna
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