Invoice Trading Platform Incomlend Secures $60 Mn From Fasanara Capital Incomlend said it will assess the SMEs' ESG plans using international standards including the United Nations (UN) Principles on Business and Human Rights, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the Paris Agreement
By Prabhjeet Bhatla •
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Global invoice financing marketplace Incomlend, has announced to have partnered with European alternative asset manager, Fasanara Capital, to launch a global $60 million alternative financing programme for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) focused on Environment Social, and Governance (ESG).
The new initiative, named Incomlend ESG Invoice Financing Programme, is tailored for SMEs looking to positively impact their communities while continuing to capture new business opportunities and grow their revenue.
"We believe that ESG is not a hindrance but an accelerator of SMEs' growth, and more needs to be done to aid ESG-focused SMEs. Through this joint alternative financing programme with Fasanara Capital, we aim to nurture more responsible companies globally and enable them to grow their business and profitability. We hope these ESG-centric SMEs can become successful role models that their peers emulate, thereby encouraging more businesses to focus on ESG," said Morgan Terigi, co-founder and chief executive officer, Incomlend.
SMEs that meet the ESG criteria and pass the financial assessment process can access quick turnaround invoice financing solutions. These solutions improve SMEs' access to working capital by allowing them to monetise invoices as early as three days following the shipment of their products. This gives them the fiscal agility to capture new revenue opportunities. It will also enable SMEs to hedge themselves from credit risks in today's volatile global economy.
Incomlend will be assessing the SMEs ESG plan by using established international standards, such as the United Nations (UN) Principles on Business and Human Rights, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the Paris Agreement. With improved cash flow, SMEs will also have the financial health and resources to make more and bolder ESG-centric changes within their organisation and supply chain. The changes include sourcing socially and environmentally responsible and adopting greener technology to reduce their carbon footprint. This can help SMEs foster greater trust among stakeholders and attract more customers.
The new initiative is also Asia's first ESG-focused structured finance programme. Investors' interest in ESG and Sustainable Investing has grown substantially over the years. According to the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance, sustainable investment in the US, Canada, Australasia, and Europe has increased by 15 per cent from 2018 to 2020, reaching $35.3 trillion in value. It comprises more than one-third of all assets under management.
"Incomlend shares our commitment to support ESG-focused enterprises, and we are excited to partner with them to pioneer this new funding instrument. SMEs represent approximately 90 per cent of companies globally and have tremendous collective potential to make a positive impact. With Incomlend's global reach and proven expertise, we are confident that they can maximise our investment and deliver working capital at scale to the right SMEs to drive meaningful change worldwide," added Francesco Filia, chief executive officer, Fasanara Capital.
In addition, the ESG programme connects institutional investors who are keen to support ESG-centric businesses with socially responsible, sustainable SMEs. It also allows investors to diversify their investments in assets while providing robust and steady returns at a transparent, monitored, and limited risk level.
Founded in Singapore, with offices and representation in Europe, India, and Southeast Asia, Dubai and Hong Kong, Incomlend connects SMEs globally with communities of investors, enabling them to finance individual invoices on an exchange platform. Since it started operations in 2016, Incomlend has financed over $500 million in trades across 50 countries worldwide.
