British finance disrupter achieves Chinese acclaim by winning FinMaker Competition in Hangzhou

British finance disrupter Funding Xchange (FXE), the platform transforming the small business finance scene, has won the prestigious China FinMaker Competition.

This year is the first competition to include a special segment for international FinTech, and despite the high volume of applications only the ten best international entrants were shortlisted, with Funding Xchange being one of only two UK-based FinTech’s in the final shortlist.

Katrin Herrling, Co-Founder and CEO of Funding Xchange, said: “Being one of only two shortlisted FinTech’s from the United Kingdom is a testament to the innovative use of technology and data analytics that FXE is using to solve a complex challenge. Having successfully established Funding Xchange at the centre of a UK ecosystem that seeks to support small businesses, we have developed a valuable solution that removes friction by creating transparency for small businesses that are seeking funding and providing lenders with businesses they can fund.”

Held in Hangzhou, the competition focuses on cutting edge technology applied to the financial services industry.

Katrin added: “We are delighted to be recognised by leading experts from the FinTech sector from China and overseas. We believe that our model has proven to be a real disruptor in the UK and winning this international award shows that other markets facing the same challenges of creating an appropriate flow of funding to small businesses are looking to adopt Funding Xchange’s proven solution.”

A panel of around 20 members judged this year’s FinMaker Competition, including the former chairman of WeBank, the first online-only bank in China, Cao Tong.

Applicants were invited to pitch to the judging panel, who were specifically looking for examples of financial innovation that provide solutions for risk prevention management, supply chain finance, SME financing and others.

Katrin and her team believe that Open Banking offers a great opportunity to provide more targeted solutions for SMEs who want to access finance.

Working with partners such as Sage to leverage this opportunity, the team are able to make the lending process quicker as well as more targeted.

Katrin returned with a cheque for £20,000 and, more importantly, valuable industry contacts in China. She intends to return to China in the coming months to explore collaboration opportunities with banks and meet investment funds that are interested in supporting the knowledge transfer.

ENDS


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About Funding Xchange

Funding Xchange is the leading business funding market place. The innovative platform links businesses to the funders who are most likely to have an appetite to lend to them. Funding Xchange was one of the four founding portals appointed by the government to provide a declines platform for businesses being declined by their mainstream bank on loan applications. The platform works with a range of high profile business advisors, such as KPMG, and with most of the banks and lending providers, providing access to finance for many SMEs who wish to grow.


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