Lendable

High-Level Overview

Lendable is a technology-enabled investment platform specializing in debt financing for high-growth fintechs in emerging and frontier markets, with a focus on positive impact and sustainable returns.[1][3] Founded in 2014, it deploys capital through funds, co-investments, and proprietary technology like Maestro, which provides real-time risk assessment, portfolio monitoring, and impact analytics for investors and borrowers.[1][3] The firm has offices in London, Nairobi, and Singapore, serving global investors such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Blue Orchard, and development finance institutions like USAID and the European Investment Bank, while funding fintechs across 18+ countries with over $576 million deployed by late 2024 at a low 2.3% default rate and 13.15% annualized net IRR.[1]

Its mission centers on creating a more inclusive and sustainable world by scaling tech-driven financial access in underserved markets.[3] The investment philosophy emphasizes data-driven underwriting via AI and integrations with fintechs' systems for verifiable risk and impact insights, prioritizing frontier market debt over equity.[1][3] Key sectors include fintech lending, payments, asset finance, and consumer credit, particularly in Africa (52% of funding) and other emerging regions.[1][5] Lendable influences the startup ecosystem by enabling faster capital access for fintechs like Moove Africa, Planet42, OneFi, and Finclusion Group, bridging global investors to high-potential borrowers while maintaining disciplined execution.[1]

Origin Story

Lendable was founded in 2014 by Martin Kissinger, Victoria van Lennep, Paul Pamment, and Jakob Schwarz in London, initially as a UK-based fintech lending platform automating credit decisions to undercut banks on speed and cost.[2] The idea emerged from harnessing AI, data, and open banking to simplify personal loans, raising £2.5 million in seed funding from angels like Passion Capital and turning profitable by 2017 after becoming one of the UK's largest unsecured consumer lenders by volume.[2] Pivotal early moments included a £100 million raise from Waterfall Asset Management in 2017 and £200 million from Goldman Sachs in 2018, fueling platform growth.[2]

The firm evolved its focus toward emerging markets debt for fintechs, expanding with offices in Nairobi (Kenya) and Singapore, and launching products like Zable (credit card, mobile plans) and Autolend (car finance).[1][2] By 2024-2025, it shifted emphasis to global impact alternatives, deploying $576 million across 18 countries via its Maestro platform, while retaining UK consumer lending roots.[1][3]

Core Differentiators

• Proprietary Technology (Maestro): Real-time integrations with fintechs' banking and customer systems for loan tracking, risk underwriting, analytics, and impact reporting; market-leading for frontier market monitoring, serving clients like IFC and Blue Orchard.[1][3]
• Data-Driven Model: AI-automated credit decisions and a vast proprietary database of millions of loans enable low defaults (2.3%) and strong returns (13.15% IRR), outperforming traditional lending in speed and precision.[1][2]
• Two-Sided Marketplace: Connects institutional investors (hedge funds, pensions, DFIs) with high-growth fintech borrowers without balance sheet risk, offering funds, co-invests, and tech solutions for emerging market access.[1][2][3]
• Global Network and Impact Focus: On-the-ground teams in London, Nairobi, Singapore; $50.7m+ disbursed benefiting 99k+ MSMEs via 16+ African fintechs; partners with USAID, EIB for scalable, verifiable positive impact.[1][5]
• Track Record and Versatility: $576m deployed in 18 countries; UK expansions like Zable Mobile (2025 partnership with Gigs); supports diverse fintechs in MSME credit, payments, and asset lending.[1][2][5]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Lendable rides the fintech debt boom in emerging markets, where digital lenders address massive credit gaps for MSMEs and consumers underserved by traditional banks, amplified by mobile money growth in Africa and Asia.[1][5] Timing aligns with rising global impact investing and DFI capital flows into frontier tech, post-2020 digital acceleration, enabling Lendable's $576m deployment amid low defaults.[1] Favorable market forces include open banking, AI risk tools, and investor appetite for 13%+ IRR alternatives with ESG metrics, positioning it ahead of pure equity VCs in capital-efficient scaling.[1][3]

It shapes the ecosystem by de-risking fintech growth—funding leaders like Moove and Planet42—while providing monitoring tech that attracts conservative investors to high-volatility markets, fostering inclusive finance for millions.[1][3][5]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Lendable's hybrid evolution from UK consumer lending to frontier fintech debt positions it for accelerated scale, with a new seven-year fund targeting further deployments beyond $576m.[1] Upcoming trends like AI-enhanced impact measurement, mobile-first finance (e.g., Zable expansions), and climate-aligned lending will propel growth, especially as DFIs double down on Africa/Asia amid geopolitical shifts.[1][3][5] Its influence may evolve into a full-stack alternatives powerhouse, influencing standards for tech-enabled emerging market investing and deepening the nexus of returns and sustainability—echoing its founding promise to simplify finance for an inclusive world.[2][3]