GLI Finance Invests in Peer-To-Peer Financing Platform Operator LiftForward
New York, NY (PRWEB) September 24, 2014 -- Specialist lender GLI Finance has announced a $2.3 million investment in peer-to-peer financing platform operator LiftForward Inc.
GLI Finance Limited (AIM: GLIF), an originator and investor in loans and platform companies providing finance to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), received a 20% stake in the business in the form of preferred shares in return for its investment. Geoff Miller, Chief Executive of GLI Finance, and Emma Stubbs, Chief Financial Officer of GLI Finance, have joined the board of LiftForward following the deal.
Miller said: “This investment is a perfect fit within our strategy of focusing on unique platforms which provide capital to SMEs. It also enables us to expand our debt portfolio in the United States, supporting the geographical diversification of our business.”
LiftForward develops peer-to-peer and marketplace financing platforms for retailers and organizations with a large number of small businesses customers. LiftForward is rapidly growing its client base of large brand name organizations and has delivered net annualized returns of up to 16% to investors on the platform.
Jeffrey Rogers, President and CEO of LiftForward, added: “We very pleased to be a part of the GLI Finance family. We have already started to leverage the synergies in the portfolio which will lead to faster growth opportunities for our company.”
About LiftForward
LiftForward, Inc., a SaaS company which operates peer-to-peer and marketplace financing platforms for organizations with a large number of small business customers or members. LiftForward’s technology enables organizations to connect small business customers or members with various forms of capital. LiftForward’s services also include portal development, underwriting, servicing and reporting. The platform and services can be customized to meet the specific needs of each client organization and the small businesses they serve. LiftForward is a SEC registered investment advisor and licensed lender.
For further information, please contact:
Jeffrey Rogers
LiftForward, Inc.
(646) 396-3704
About GLI Finance
GLI Finance is a specialist provider of finance to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and is quoted on AIM. GLIF both invests in loans to SMEs and originates finance for SMEs through a variety of alternative finance platforms. SME loan investment is currently primarily in US and European senior secured loans of mid-market size mainly via CLO equity holdings.
SME finance origination is primarily in the UK, and was established through the acquisition of BMS Finance in November 2012. 2013 investments included FundingKnight a crowd lending platform in July 2013, invoice trading platform Platform Black in August 2013, Raiseworks a US market place SME lending business and Sancus a P2P offshore secured lender in December 2013. In January 2014 GLIF invested in Finpoint Limited an online lending platform, followed by investments in TradeRiver Finance an online supply-chain finance provider, CrowdShed a multifaceted crowdfunding business and Dansk Faktura Bors a Danish crowd-funding platform in February 2014 and Proplend a property P2P lending platform in March 2014. All of which will provide further opportunities to provide funding for SMEs.
For further information, please contact:
Geoffrey Miller
GLI Finance Limited
+1 203 916 0003
+44 7408 830719
Camarco
Ed Gascoigne-Pees
+44 (0)203 757 4984
+44 (0)203 757 1949
Jeffrey Rogers, LiftForward, +1 (800) 223-4342, [email protected]
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