UK fund to back ThinCats Australia
ThinCats Australia has announced that UK-based alternative finance fund ESF Capital will acquire a 30 per cent stake in the peer-to-peer (P2P) business lending platform. ESF Capital will also provide $10 million in funding for loans on the platform in the first year, joining another 300 lenders on ThinCats’ panel. ThinCats Australia CEO Sunil Aranha said the injection of capital and funding by ESF will provide a significant boost to the platform as well as the many SMEs seeking loans. “The injection of capital by ESF will allow us to ramp up our operations and technology platform, lift our market presence and hire more staff to tap into the largely […]
Peer-to-peer SocietyOne completes $25m raising
Peer-to-peer lender SocietyOne has completed a $25 million round of funding, which was supported by its leading shareholders. SocietyOne, now led by former senior Westpac executive Jason Yetton, announced yesterday that its loan book had shot through the symbolically important $100m barrier in the first week of April. This came after strong growth from the beginning of the year, with personal loans and agribusiness finance jumping by $30m. While the funding round has been under way for several months, its completion is a show of faith in SocietyOne’s direction under Yetton, who was appointed early last month, and the lender’s growth trajectory. The company took six quarters until the second […]
Australia pushes ISO for blockchain standards
Australia’s peak standard-setting body, Standards Australia, is calling on the International Standards Organisation to begin work on global standards for blockchain. The organisation has asked the Geneva-based ISO to begin working on standards for blockchain, the technology behind digital currency bitcoin, offering the assistance of Australian expertise. The ASX has recently taken a stake in New York-based Digital Asset Holdings, which is working on the potential to use its blockchain technology to help replace its CHESS sharemarket clearing system, while the Australian banks are also reviewing the potential uses of the distributed ledger technology. “We have had sufficient stakeholder support to put this proposal to the ISO,” Standards Australia’s acting […]
New finance platform Skippr to boost innovation and growth with fresh perspective on cash flow management
New finance platform, Skippr, signifies a new direction for the fintech space. Helping businesses understand cash flow better and providing them with simple and accessible tools to optimise that flow, the new start-up connects both invoice finance and cash flow forecasting through one platform. Pat Crivelli, Founder of Skippr said, “SMEs are the backbone of our economy, but nearly half will fail as a result of poor cash flow. Empowering SMEs to take control of their finances means more competition, innovation, productivity and growth for Australian businesses. “Skippr’s platform helps SMEs not just access finance, but understand how to better manage it. Our technology provides more transparency and, […]
Aggregator announces fintech partnership
Liberty Network Services (LNS), the branded distribution arm of non-bank lender Liberty, has partnered with online lender Moula to better service small business clients. Through the partnership with Moula, in which Liberty acquired a part stake in last year, LNS brokers will be able to refer any small business customer directly to the fintech lender through an online portal. LNS managing director, Brendan O’Donnell, said the partnership was formed to meet the growing needs of small businesses that struggle to secure short term finance with the major banks – while also helping brokers to diversify their business. Liberty supplied Moula with $30 million in funding last year to finance its […]
NAB enlists venture capitalists to invest in start-ups
National Australia Bank is turning to the venture capital sector to run its $50 million fund that will invest in fintech start-ups, a plan aimed at boosting innovation across the lender. The bank has appointed Todd Forest, an entrepreneur, angel investor and digital media executive, to run NAB Ventures, which expects to make its first investment in the next month or so. Alongside Mr Forest, NAB has hired Melissa Widner, one of the most senior women in Australian venture capital, who has also worked in the United States, as general partner. A co-founder of leading Australian fund Blackbird Ventures, Bill Bartee, will also work with the NAB fund as an […]
Robo advisers keen for improved regulation
Digital advice providers have given the thumbs-up to proposals for clearer regulations governing the sector, suggesting they would improve the legitimacy of the burgeoning industry. Josh Golombick, co-founder of robo advice provider CapitalU, said regulation from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission will “really put the spotlight” on robo-advice. “Maybe a lot of people may not have even heard of robo advice before this regulation came out – it just legitimises it further,” he said. Digital or robo advice involves the provision of simple to complex financial plans which are created using algorithms and technology. Research by KPMG show robo advice platforms will manage around $US2.2 trillion worth of assets […]
