Startups > MarketFinance

MarketFinance

Kriya provides invoice finance and business loans to growing SMEs.

Equity & Debt Financing £50M+ (equity); £719.9M (total including debt financing) total Founded 2011 United Kingdom

Kriya (formerly MarketFinance) is a British fintech company providing credit and payment products for small businesses, including invoice finance, business loans, and embedded PayLater solutions. The company enables SMEs to access working capital through instant credit decisions and seamless integrations. As of October 2025, Kriya was acquired by Allica Bank and now operates as part of the bank's credit offering to established SMEs. The platform has facilitated close to £3 billion in funding for UK businesses since its 2011 launch.

Problem solved

SMEs struggle to access flexible working capital and deferred payment options without lengthy approval processes and complex integrations.

Target customer

UK growth-stage small businesses with £2M+ turnover in consulting, creative services, and technology sectors seeking working capital or payment solutions.

Website LinkedIn Crunchbase

Founders

Anil Stocker

CEO & Cofounder

Economics graduate from University of Cambridge (2006). Previously worked as private equity analyst at Lehman Brothers and in alternative investments at Cogent Partners. Named to Forbes 30 Under 30.

Charles Delingpole

Cofounder

Serial entrepreneur who founded MarketInvoice, ComplyAdvantage, and The Student Room alongside MarketFinance.

Ilya Kondrashov

Cofounder

Giles Andrews

Cofounder

Funding history

Series A Unknown 2015 Led by Unknown · Unknown

Series B £26M 2017-2018 Led by Barclays Invoice Finance, Santander InnoVentures · Northzone, Viola Credit

Series C Unknown May 15, 2019 Led by Unknown · Unknown

Debt & Equity £10M equity 2021 Led by Black River Ventures · Intesa Sanpaolo, Barclays Bank PLC, global investment firm (unnamed)

Acquisition Unknown October 2025 Led by Allica Bank · 100% acquisition

Total raised: £50M+ (equity); £719.9M (total including debt financing)

Industries

Financial Services FinTech

Pricing

Transparent fees set at 1-3% of invoice value. Invoice finance available under CBILS and non-CBILS terms providing net returns of up to 8% to investors.

Notable customers

Barclays Bank, Halfords Plc, Stripe

Integrations

Stripe, Barclays SMB loans service, Halfords trade account platform

Website

marketfinance.com/

Competitors

Funding Circle

Broader peer-to-peer lending platform with less focus on embedded finance solutions.

ThinCats

Peer-to-peer lending platform with different underwriting criteria and investor base.

Assetz Capital

Alternative finance platform with different product mix and risk assessment approach.

Why this matters: Kriya's October 2025 acquisition by Allica Bank represents a strategic consolidation of embedded finance and SME lending capabilities within UK fintech. The company's 14-year track record (£3B+ facilitated) combined with integration partnerships from Stripe to Barclays demonstrates both market validation and the growing importance of embedded credit solutions in B2B payments.

Best for: UK SMEs and growth companies needing fast working capital access, invoice financing, or embedded payment solutions without lengthy approval processes.

Use cases

Invoice Financing for Service Providers

Consulting and creative agencies can finance selected invoices or every invoice on a rolling basis up to £1M, converting future revenue into immediate working capital. This enables teams to meet payroll and invest in growth without waiting 30-60 days for client payments.

Embedded PayLater for B2B Payments

E-commerce platforms and software integrators can embed Kriya's PayLater option at checkout, allowing business customers to defer payment. This reduces purchase friction and increases order values by offering flexible payment terms directly in the buying experience.

Business Expansion Loans

Growth-stage companies can access £50K-£250K in structured loans over 1-3 years with weekly or monthly repayment terms. This enables hiring, inventory purchases, or market expansion without equity dilution or personal guarantees.

Corporate Working Capital Facilities

Larger enterprises can combine invoice finance and business loans into structured facilities up to £5M, providing flexible access to working capital that scales with business growth and invoicing patterns.

Alternatives

Funding Circle Broader peer-to-peer lending platform; pick Funding Circle if you want access to individual investors and more diverse loan products.

MarketInvoice Separate invoice finance platform; Charles Delingpole's original company with similar focus but different ownership and integration approach.

Clearco Revenue-based financing platform; choose Clearco if you prefer revenue-sharing models over fixed-term loans with interest.

FAQ

What does Kriya do? +

Kriya provides invoice finance, business loans, and embedded PayLater solutions to UK SMEs. The company helps businesses access working capital through instant credit decisions and seamless integrations. As of October 2025, Kriya operates as part of Allica Bank, a fintech bank focused on established SMEs.

How much does Kriya cost? +

Kriya charges transparent fees of 1-3% of invoice value for invoice financing. Invoice finance is available under CBILS and non-CBILS terms with net returns of up to 8%. Business loans and corporate facilities have custom pricing based on amount and term.

What are alternatives to Kriya? +

Top alternatives include Funding Circle (peer-to-peer lending with broader loan products), ThinCats (peer-to-peer lending platform), Assetz Capital (alternative finance platform), and Clearco (revenue-based financing). Each differs in loan structure, investor base, and underwriting criteria.

Who uses Kriya? +

Kriya serves UK growth-stage SMEs with £2M+ turnover in consulting, creative services, and technology sectors. Notable customers include Barclays Bank (powers their SMB online loans service), Halfords Plc (trade account payments and credit), and Stripe (as a payment method).

How does Kriya compare to Funding Circle? +

Both provide SME financing, but Funding Circle is a broader peer-to-peer platform with diverse loan products and individual investors, while Kriya specializes in invoice finance and embedded PayLater with bank partnerships. Kriya focuses on faster integrations and instant decisions; Funding Circle offers more loan variety and investor optionality.