How this fintech startup chief facilitated $50 million in Australian business loans without stepping foot in the country
Business loan marketplace Lending Express launched in Australia in 2016, and since then it’s facilitated $50 million in small business loans. But it was only last month that co-founder and chief executive Eden Amirav first set foot on Australian soil. Now the Israeli startup has secured $US2.8 million ($3.7 million) in funding, Amirav has plans to further improve the artificial intelligence-enabled platform, and to get his message to even more Aussies. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning, Lending Express connects small businesses seeking loans with alternative lenders. The business owner fills in an application via the online platform, and Lending Express runs an algorithm, immediately identifying the lenders that would […]
Tic:Toc boss calls out HEM issues and ‘questionable’ third parties
The CEO of online mortgage lender Tic:Toc Home Loans says that no human judgement need enter the equation when it comes to assessing the expenses of a mortgage applicant. With the first weeks of the banking royal commission now behind us, Tic:Toc founder and CEO Anthony Baum believes it has become clear that there is an opportunity for the mortgage industry to reconsider how customers are assessed for finance. “One key flaw that’s been exposed is the failure to conduct basic checks and balances on the applicants’ household expenses. This includes instances where judgement on a customer’s borrowing capacity has been handed to a raft of questionable third parties,” the […]
Wisr announces limit increases to personal loan product
Borrower demand, institutional backing and continued operational improvements support this change Neo lender Wisr announced it will increase its personal loan limits following increased borrower demand, strong institutional lender support and continued improvement to loan evaluation. As of today the company will increase its personal loan limit from $35,000 up to $50,000(1), with a comparative interest rate up to 5% p.a. lower than the Big Four Banks(2). Loans will be available for any worthwhile purpose over three or five years, with a comparison rate of 9.36% p.a.(2, 3, 4) for borrowers with strong credit rating and with a Wisr personal loan there are no early repayment or exit fees. Anthony […]
Do you know who you’re getting into bed with?
As new lenders pop up, seemingly overnight, Jacaranda Finance are going back to their roots. With the new financial year looming, Jacaranda Finance has been hard at work re-building its brand, even going as far as designing a brand new logo. By going back to the company’s original roots of stripped down family values, Jacaranda Finance is reminding loyal clients why they’re the lender for every Aussie. Founded in 2013 by Daniel Wessels, the company was lifted to new heights as Daniel brought on his father, younger brother and a close family friend. Since then, they have worked to provide tens of thousands of Australians with much-needed finance in […]
Australian Government backs Fintech HashChing with $700,000 loan from Jobs NSW
HashChing, a Sydney-based home loan marketplace, has just announced a $700,000 loan from Jobs NSW. Deputy Premier and Minister for Small Business John Barilaro said the NSW Government had backed the Fintech which is expected to create 46 jobs over the next five years. “Jobs for NSW is helping some of our brightest business people overcome barriers to finance – it’s about making smart investments that allow good business ideas and businesses to grow,” said Barilaro. “The Jobs for NSW Strategic Growth Loan will allow the company to hire software developers, product developers, a data scientist and sales and marketing staff to support HashChing’s continued growth.” HashChing is an online […]
Understanding the SME mindset
In 2017, the number of business owners turning to their primary bank for a loan declined 14%. Scottish Pacific CEO, Peter Langham, explains why brokers are uniquely positioned to capitalise The latest SM Growth Index by Scottish Pacific paints a clear picture of SME owners, their pain points, and their funding needs and intentions. For brokers, these results can help them understand the SME mindset and why it is important to offer a range of suitable funding options, which allow both clients and their brokers to grow. Just over half the businesses polled expect revenue to grow in 2018, and two thirds reported improved cash flow for 2017. Those that are […]
Bank limitations create opportunities for non-bank lenders
Winners and losers from new bank regulations Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are the lifeblood of an economy, but given the changes to bank regulations the sector is increasingly a ‘loser’. In Australia, SMEs employ around 70% of the workforce and produce around 55% of business economic activity. However, two key changes continue to push SMEs out of the bank lending market: 1. Cost – under Basel III, banks must hold higher levels of capital against SME lending, including low-risk loans backed by residential or commercial property. This makes lending to SMEs more ‘expensive’ for the banks, and hence they pass the cost onto the SME borrowers. 2. Time […]
Prospa float reveals a new world of online business financing
Online small business lender Prospa is set to hit the ASX on June 6 with a market capitalisation of $576 million. It’s a lofty valuation for a relatively new business lender with a net loan book of $200 million and a statutory net profit in the 2017 financial year of just $1.2 million. But the number – settled after an institutional book build for Prospa shares last Thursday – points to the aggressive growth aspirations for the Sydney-based group, which is raising $146 million in an initial public offering fully-underwritten by Macquarie Capital and UBS. In its prospectus filed with the corporate regulator on Monday morning, Prospa said it expects to originate […]
