What’ll Waddle do with $4m injection?
Small business lender fintech start-up Waddle will step up its efforts to crack overseas markets and take a larger share of the big four bank’s local market share after closing a $4 million series A funding round. The funds, sourced from tech venture capital firm Allectus Capital, will be used to grow the fintech’s footprint in Australasia and push forward with its plans to integrate with overseas banks. “We are seeing strong demand from banks looking to digitise their working capital product offerings by partnering with fintechs with proven models,” said Simon Creighton, co-founder of Waddle. While it is the first major external venture-style funding round, co-founder Simon Creighton is […]
Five ways to better manage cashflow for your business
Did you know, according to the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), 46% of all company failures occurred due to inadequate cash flow in 2015/16? Cash flow is vital to a business, and management should be priority number 1. So how can you better manage cash flow in a business, whether you sell products, provide services, or do a bit of both? Here are five ways to better manage cash flow in your business 1. Look at your balance sheets and make a projection In business, like in sport, you need to keep score. Keeping score tells you whether you’re winning or losing. Balance sheets and profit and loss statements […]
Prospa momentum continues as loan originations surpass $1 billion
Prospa, Australia’s number one online lender to small business, is pleased to announce its pro-forma results for H1 FY19. Total loan originations for H1 FY19 were $225 million, up 10% on the forecast of $204 million and up 44% on a pcp basis. Total loan originations for CY18 were $436 million, up 13% on the forecast of $386 million and up 51% on a pcp basis. Prospa’s total loan originations have now surpassed $1 billion comprising A$1 billion in Australia and NZ$10 million in New Zealand, delivered to over 19,000 small businesses as demand continues to grow. Revenue is ahead of forecast with H1 FY19 revenue $67.7 million, up 8% […]
AI-driven lending platform won’t be the end for brokers
A new Artificial Intelligence-powered lending platform won’t be the end of human loan brokers, the technology’s creators say, because a broker’s ability to understand the intricacies of the application cannot be replicated by a machine. That’s the explanation given by Challis Capital Partners managing director Bill Salouris and Global Capital Commercial sales director Andrew West, whose companies are behind the creation of Lenflo – an AI-driven technology that touts more accurate pricing estimations and a quicker approval process for all kinds of loans. “That experience of sitting down, articulating, and getting an understanding of what the circumstances are is always important,” Mr Salouris said. “When you’re talking cross-company cash flows, […]
An accountant’s guide to comparing Fintech business loans
How can you objectively compare the loan pricing metrics between the different online business lenders and make the most informed decision possible? Assisting your small business clients with finance can be challenging with so many options out there from both banks and newer alternative finance providers. As traditional lenders have tightened their credit conditions and pulled back on SME lending, the rise of online, fintech lenders is providing small businesses with new opportunities to fund their growth. However, how can you objectively compare the loan pricing metrics between the different online business lenders and make the most informed decision possible? The answer is with SMART Box™. The SMART Box™ Loan […]
SocietyOne and Loan Market collaborate to broaden customer offering
Australia’s leading marketplace lender, SocietyOne, and Australasia’s largest family owned mortgage brokerage, Loan Market Group, have joined forces in a new partnership through which Loan Market will distribute SocietyOne personal loans. The partnership indicates a growing trend of brokers embracing alternative lenders in the wake of the banking Royal Commission, according to SocietyOne, as consumers are increasingly requesting banking alternatives in order to access a better deal. “The Royal Commission has uncovered a large number of issues within the consumer lending market, and both brokers and their retail customers have been equally exposed to the publicity surrounding this,” said Mark Jones, CEO of SocietyOne. “This has driven many brokers to […]
Fintech unveils mortgage under 3.5%
Fintech and online lender loans.com.au has unveiled its newest home-loan offering for owner-occupiers with a low interest rate of 3.48%. Dubbed the Smart Home Loan, the mortgage product is a principal-and-interest loan that has no ongoing fees and has a comparison rate of 3.5%. The product has a maximum loan amount of $1m and has several features such as redraw facilities and the ability to split and make additional repayments. Homebuyers can borrow as much as 80% of the value of their targeted property. Loans.com.au managing director Marie Mortimer said the new home-loan product aims to drive competition in the mortgage space and provide other options for borrowers who are […]
Power has shifted from banks to consumers: Bendigo Bank MD
A fundamental change in banking has occurred in a relatively short period of time: power has shifted from large financial institutions to consumers. In response, banks need to rethink how they serve their customers. That’s the view of Marnie Baker, managing director, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. “The times are gone now where the power sits with the financial institution. The power is absolutely in consumers hands and they are dictating what they expect to see in an experience,” Baker told Which-50. Notably, the days of going to see a bank in their time and at their instruction have passed, Baker said, and today financial services need to be embedded into […]
