Dr. Steve Walker is CEO at ART Business Loans, a Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) which provides business loans in the Midlands and surrounding counties. “Earlier this month, new research from Time Finance reported that 60% of SMEs are not considering alternative finance options. The survey found that six in 10 UK businesses choose their […]
The UK Black Business Entrepreneurs Conference (BBEC) kicked off the first leg of its highly anticipated Business Masterclass tour on Tuesday, 11 February, at the NatWest Conference Centre in Bishopsgate, London. The theme of the BBEC Business Masterclass is ‘Building Capacity & Sustainability’. The masterclasses are tailored for individuals passionate about building successful businesses while […]
New regulations for shipments to Northern Ireland are set to go live on 31 March, 2025. But the latest ONS survey reveals GB businesses trading with Northern Ireland are already suffering from rising transport costs. The international delivery expert Parcelhero warns transport & storage sector companies’ NI volumes tumbled by 25.9% in December 2024. The […]
Award-winning SME lender 365 Finance has expanded into the Republic of Ireland, supporting the growth of Irish businesses and entering the EU marketplace. The funder’s international growth strategy is to leverage the company’s highly automated AI-powered lending platform in other markets. 365 Finance has advanced over £500m to UK-based SMEs since inception in 2014, and […]
The Current Account Switch Service (CASS), which is owned and operated by the UK’s leading payments authority Pay.UK, has welcomed Zempler Bank, the microbusinesses focused digital bank, to the Service. Zempler Bank offers current accounts and credit products for small businesses, start-ups, sole traders and consumers with a focus on easy-to-access, simple-to-use digital products and high-quality service delivered […]
The percentage of UK small business owners predicting growth (33%) has dipped to a nine-month low, according to the latest quarterly data from Novuna Business Finance. Whilst 45% see Q1 as a standstill period, there is a four-year high in the percentage of small businesses saying they will contract by the end of March (13%) […]
The UK government is hosting one of its largest ever export conferences, with around 1,000 business leaders attending today’s UK Trade and Export Finance Forum to discuss ways of reducing financial barriers to exporting. Hosted in London by UK Export Finance (UKEF), the event welcomes speakers from the CBI, British Chambers of Commerce and Invest […]
New data from independent lender, Time Finance, reveals that SMEs are not utilising their options when it comes to accessing alternative finance, with nearly 60% having never looked beyond their own bank for commercial finance solutions. Urging SMEs to broaden their horizons when it comes to investing in growth, Time Finance’s new survey delves into […]
Small business numbers in Croydon are growing at a faster rate than anywhere else in London, new GoDaddy research shows. The constituency of Croydon Central (incorporated into Croydon East during the 2024 change in boundaries) saw a spike of 24% in its microbusiness numbers during the past 12 months, making it the fastest growing area […]
Swoop, the award-winning global business funding and savings platform, is excited to announce a significant strategic investment from Sandbox Industries, a leading venture capital and consulting firm with deep expertise in the insurance and financial services sectors. This investment will power Swoop’s ambitious expansion into the US market and strengthen its mission to empower SMEs […]
