SMEs

Claret Capital Partners: Conditions remain ripe for venture debt

As SME owners face dilution, many turn to the venture debt market. David Bateman, managing partner of Claret Capital Partners, explains some of the latest trends.

CVI on the best SME lending opportunities in CEE

With strong growth rates and limited competition, Central and Eastern Europe is a land of promise for lenders, say Marcin Leja, partner and CEO; Magdalena Śniegocka, principal; and Radoslav Tausinger, partner at CVI.

SME lenders expect a rebound

Amid challenging market conditions, smaller businesses have put growth plans on hold. But as things begin to stabilise, capital providers are confident of seeing increased demand.

What will SME lending look like in 2028?

What might the maturity wall bring? And will banks be back in force in the SME lending space by 2028?

Five key trends in speciality finance: Asset-based lending

Lending secured by assets on a company’s balance sheet is a growing form of finance.

Growth opportunities: Lower mid-market lending

LPs are attracted by the strong performance of established players.

Careful lending may save the SME sector

There is confidence that small businesses can hold up reasonably well in the face of macroeconomic challenges. The bigger issue may be access to financing.

APAC Forum 2023: the SMEs that are ‘hard to kill’

A lack of financing in the past has made small businesses in southeast Asia resilient, a characteristic welcomed by the private debt managers now stepping into the funding gap.

Beechbrook holds second close of UK SME fund at £170m

The firm’s third fund focused on UK SMEs has already made seven investments and aims to hold a final close in the first half of 2023.