Davos is a chance for the UK to step-up and collaborate in the digital revolution January 21, 2019 After the drama of last week in Westminster, it’s the 49th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum that will take centre stage over the next few days. I will join more than 100 heads of government, as well the globe’s leading companies, international organisations, and NGOs in making the annual visit to Davos. Brexit [...]
London fintech Marketinvoice lands £56m in funding from Barclays and Santander January 21, 2019 London-based fintech business lender Marketinvoice has today closed a £56m round made up of equity and debt funding, led by Barclays and Santander's venture arm Innoventures. The series B-stage equity funding, which amounted to £26m, also received significant participation from European venture capital firm Northzone, which has previously backed the likes of Spotify, Trustpilot and fellow fintech lender Zopa. [...]
Consultants ‘braver’ about challenging clients who treat women inappropriately, says PwC January 17, 2019 Advisers are “getting braver about…calling out our clients” who act inappropriately towards female consultants, a partner at PwC told a tech industry event in east London today. The partnership at PwC gets “incensed” when client chief executives shout at female partners, said Mads Thomson, who leads the the professional services firm’s technology consulting business in [...]
Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss: Snoop Dogg invests in Swedish fintech unicorn Klarna January 17, 2019 Rapper Snoop Dogg has invested in $2.5bn (£1.94bn) Swedish fintech company Klarna, it emerged today. The rapper, famed for hits such as Gin & Juice, From tha Chuuuch to da Palace and Ain't Nuthin but a G Thang, has more lately reinvented himself as an investor, playing a role in specialist cannabis venture capital firm [...]
Funding Circle beats revenue growth forecasts three months on from IPO January 17, 2019 Small business lender Funding Circle has beaten its forecasts for revenue growth and loans under management three months after a disappointing debut on the London Stock Exchange. The company hit revenue growth of 55 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2018, exceeding the 50 per cent guidance which was estimated at the time of its [...]
London fintech startup Jaja Finance picks up £5m with a boost from Celeres January 16, 2019 Credit card fintech startup Jaja Finance has today confirmed the final close of its £3.5m crowdfunding round, boosted by an additional £1.5m from Celeres Investments. The £5m intake adds to an earlier £4.4m raised in seed funding last year, backed by Blystad Group and Pollen Street Capital among others. More than 1,000 private investors took [...]
MPs fear FCA proposals on overdraft rules could end free banking January 15, 2019 The head of the UK’s financial watchdog told MPs this morning that he is “very alert” to the possibility that proposed rules to tackle charges for unplanned overdrafts could raise the cost of planned consumer borrowing. MPs raised concerns that changes to overdraft rules could negatively impact the availability of free banking as banks would [...]
As London heads back to school, here’s how the City is kickstarting careers January 14, 2019 It’s back to school for students across the country. A new term is always an exciting prospect; pupils and teachers return with renewed energy and a readiness to learn and teach. Last month, the City of London Corporation, which sponsors 10 academies in London, was named by the Sutton Trust as the best UK academy [...]
London venture capital firm Beringea heads up north with £9m fintech injection January 13, 2019 London-based venture capital firm Beringea has expanded its UK presence with an office based in Manchester, the firm will announce today. It has also led a £9m fundraising round in Mancunian fintech firm Accesspay, which it said was one of the region’s largest fintech rounds to date. Based in the northern city centre's St Peter's [...]
Revolut rival digital bank N26 lands $300m funding round, becoming Europe’s most valuable fintech startup January 10, 2019 Digital banking startup N26 has closed the biggest funding round in European fintech in recent years, valuing the Monzo and Revolut challenger at $2.7bn (£2.1bn). The Berlin-based fintech, which offers a current account and debit card through its mobile banking app, has raised $300m in a series D round led by US venture capital firm Insight Venture Partners. [...]