BlackWood’s Post

UK’s 9fin secures €47.4M to fix the outdated debt capital markets with its AI-powered analytics platform: London-based 9fin, an AI-powered analytics platform for debt capital markets, announced on Monday that it has raised $50M (approximately €47.4M) in a Series B round led by Highland Europe. Existing investors, including Spark Capital, Redalpine, Seedcamp, 500 Startups, and Ilavska Vuillermoz Capital, also participated in the round. The new funding will enable the UK company ... Read more #UK #9fin #AI

UK startup 9fin, an AI-driven analytics provider for debt capital markets, secured €47.5 million from Highland Europe, Spark Capital, redalpine, Seedcamp, 500 Startups, and Ilavska Vuillermoz Capital 🇬🇧 💶 9fin leverages AI to provide faster and easier access to high-yield bonds, leveraged loans, distressed debt, CLOs, private credit, and asset-backed finance intelligence. Steven Hunter, Co-founder and CEO of 9fin, commented: “Debt markets are the biggest overlooked asset class in the world and yet they still rely on technology and information sources straight out of the 1980s – opaque, slow and messy. We started 9fin to give professionals in the market a data edge, with smarter, faster intelligence. I’m really proud of the product, team and company culture we’ve built so far at 9fin, and we’re just getting started. There’s a huge opportunity to build the #1 global provider of debt market analytics, and bring debt markets into the AI age. We’re delighted to welcome Highland as a partner to help us achieve that vision.” https://lnkd.in/dZSZXJWq

👇Some nostalgic vibes for startup and tech enthusiasts 💸 Exactly 1 year ago, I had several posts about the then-collapsing Silicon Valley Bank, a major industry "king" with a 60% to 70% share of the venture debt market and numerous startup clients. As of 2024, according to Pitchbook, its market share is estimated at 20%-30%, with the resulting gap being filled by other banks (primarily), along with non-bank lenders such as business development companies. However, there's been no clear successor to SVB as a "jewel in the crown" for startups. In interviews with Sifted, some experts mentioned that lots of startups currently prioritize distributing their cash reserves among several financial institutions (e.g., "eggs in different baskets"), favoring bigger banks over smaller ones. More findings from Sifted here https://lnkd.in/dg5ymurs #svb #siliconvalley #tech #siliconvalleybank #startups #startupcommunity #techenthusiasts #fintech #pitchbook #sifted

London-based 9fin, an AI-powered analytics platform, has raised $50M (approximately €47.4M) in a Series B round. 9fin aims to organise the world’s leveraged financial information and make it accessible and usable. Read more about the deal here: https://lnkd.in/gqi__sR3 Steven Hunter, Huss E., Highland Europe, Spark Capital, redalpine, Seedcamp, 500 Startups, Ilavska Vuillermoz Capital, Fergal Mullen

🤖📊 9fin, an AI-powered analytics platform for debt capital markets (DCM), has raised $50 million in Series B funding led by Highland Europe. Existing investors Spark Capital, redalpine, Seedcamp, 500 Startups, and Ilavska Vuillermoz Capital participated in the round. 📈 The company will use the new funding to enhance its AI technology, expand its analytics team, and accelerate its US expansion while meeting the growing demand for high-quality information in the world’s largest asset class. 🤖 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e4wacHhx  Huss E. Fergal Mullen Steve Hunter #tech #funding #news #VC #startup #AI #technology #debtcapitalmarkets #UKtech #UKstartup

Founders, are you considering alternatives to priced equity for your first round of financing? This Perkins Coie LLP StartupPercolator blog post breaks down the top five differences between Convertible Notes and Simple Agreements for Future Equity (SAFEs). Learn which might be the best fit and why one option might be more common than the other. #Startups #ConvertibleNotes #SAFEfinancing #PrivateEquity #StartupPercolator

Over the last several years, as the venture funding markets have pulled back, growth-stage companies have had to adapt by cutting burn rates in order to give their company more runway. For most, they are either at or nearing the end of that runway. Unfortunately, the markets have not yet recovered. Given that, it is not surprising to see this article from PitchBook detailing the rise of non-bank venture lending over that same time period. In the article, James Turner of 5th Line Capital says: “VCs have a very standardized model. They want to focus on that one company that’s going to hit a home run. They want to see not 50% growth, they want to see 100%, 200% annual growth. That’s just not realistic for 99% of companies out there." As he states, a great many companies are simply not able to meet the high growth rate targets required by the VC model. In such cases, the company must pivot its funding plans. VC may no longer be an option. Venture debt is one potential funding mode. Another is for the company to pivot towards profitability. By doing so they are able to focus on EBITDA growth and potentially tap into the private equity market to fund future growth (just not at the rate of 100% to 200% YoY). Crisis compels creativity. Over the last two years, many early and growth stage companies have had to become very creative when finding options to fund their growth. Endeavor Colorado Kathryn Dickson Tegan Stanbach Zeb King #privateequity #venturecapital #finance #investing #innovation #entrepreneurship #founders #startups https://lnkd.in/gUmCZmDq

VentureSoul Partners, a Mumbai headquartered CAT II AIF debt fund focused on new age economy clients, has declared its first close, hitting nearly half the fund size, following its launch in the second quarter this year. Floated by 3 experienced bankers: Anurag Tripathi Ashish Gala and Kunal Wadhwa, VentureSoul intends to be a value based enterprise with the tagline: ‘debt partners with a difference’. The fund intends to have differentiated debt proposition for the new age economy clients, where the bankers are planning to bring in banking practices into the fund world by not only evaluating the clients differently, but more importantly by providing differentiated debt product proposition for the new age economy clients. With a target corpus of upto INR 300 Crores plus an additional 300 Crores greenshoe, this SEBI registered Category II AIF has so far received commitments from a mix of family offices, corporates, HNIs, professionals and other eminent investors. The fund will aim to make debt investments in companies that are generally at Series A or beyond stage, with a demonstrated business and revenue model. The sector agnostic fund will have a positive bias towards diversified Fintech, B2C, B2B & SAAS companies. The founders’ vision is to create a sustainable, scalable organization that partners with the new age economy clients for growth capital and beyond. Micro Labs Limited is its anchor investor, along with other corporate investors - Rupa Group, Glen Appliances Pvt. Ltd., and PSN Group, promoters of esteemed institutions such as - SKM Steel Holdings Co., Ltd, Zebronics, and, founders of new age economy companies such as, Country Delight, Madhusudan E of KreditBee, and Omkar Shirhatti of Perfios, amongst its array of investors. The founders have expressed gratitude to their backers, and reiterated their commitment to serve all stakeholders. The founders collectively emphasised – “We are sincerely grateful to each and every individual and institution that has backed us, as also those who have been our guiding light in our maiden fund foray. We now intend to augment the scale and size of VentureSoul’s operations by working further with the broader ecosystem – undertaking disciplined deployment as also continuing to reach out wider for our subsequent fund raise rounds”. https://lnkd.in/gktWGc3w Anurag Tripathi Ashish Gala Kunal Wadhwa Harsh Sarvaiya Naitik Dedhia Aamod Modi Prativa Das #VentureDebt #NewAgeCompanies #FirstClose #Bankers

A year and a half ago, SVB’s collapse shook the venture landscape. But non-bank lenders saw an opportunity—and they’re thriving. 💼  According to PitchBook: ✅ $34.7B deployed through Q3 2024 ✅ Venture debt deal value on track to surpass 2022 levels   ✅ Growth-stage companies driving the surge  As traditional banks pull back due to regulatory pressures, private lenders are stepping in, offering stability and flexibility that startups need. Trinity Capital CEO Kyle Brown puts it best:  “We’re winning deals right now because we’re a permanent capital solution. There’s no bank run with us, we’re not going anywhere.” The shift highlights how businesses are moving away from the high-growth expectations of traditional VC models toward practical, sustainable funding options. 📈  What do you think? Is venture debt the future for growth-stage startups? Read the full article below. #venturedebt #startups #privatecredit #venturecapital

Venture debt is a very valuable form of capital and demand for it is reaching record high due to the value it provides in this environment. Check out this article, written by my colleagues at Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) for a better understanding of venture debt, and reach out if you have questions and are looking for clarification or a sounding board. We always make time for those conversations and if you're in Boston, let's get coffee and chat. #svb #yessvb #venturedebt #venturecapital #growthcapital