Welcome to the Alternative Funding Network (AFN), a leading source of industry intelligence for the Alternative Finance Sector. The AFN provides our members with comprehensive and unique industry-driven research into this fast-developing area of finance and facilitates member engagement across a variety of forums. Learn more about what your AFN Memberships can do for you.
- In-depth Research – Through continuous tracking activities, the AFN monitors growth, development and trends in alternative finance. The AFN research team sources data, information and expertise directly from alternative finance platforms and other industry players. We provide Quarterly Snapshots that benchmark industry activity across the sector, Insight Reports that delve into particular topics of industry interests and on an annual basis, the AFN updates and reproduces our two CORE Survey Reports, which shed light on SME and Investor activity within the sector.
- Access to Network Members – The AFN facilitates on and offline exchanges within the network to provide members with knowledge by the industry for the industry. Following the Knowledge Peers model, this network promotes connections and mutual learning among members. Our network is made up of industry players, and includes leading authorities and industry experts.
- Events – The AFN runs a regular Research Seminars Series (6 annually) that run alongside AFN research activities.
- Support & Guidance from our Team – Full members can take advantage of the AFN team, who can provide direction, expertise and advice.
- Bespoke Reporting – The AFN produces tailored market research, drawing on our extensive knowledge base and data archive to offer independent insight.
Sign up individually via 12 instalments of £25 (+VAT) per month or via an annual license priced at
£295 (+VAT) or register your team for £695 (+VAT) annually.
“AFN have a unique approach to the SME funding market and are rapidly becoming the leading source of information on the subject. Not only for those seeking funding but also for investors and the industry itself. A very valuable resource which highlighted to us for the first time that ThinCats has 16.4% of the whole business crowdfunding market.”
Kevin Caley Managing Director, ThinCats.com
“With the focus on SME-centered research, the AFN sheds light on funding issues that our industry needs to know! By participating in their projects, we've been able to garner a greater understanding of the businesses that we cater to and also the major trends in investment Crowdfunding. As industry leaders, we are a big part of the trend-setters on the equity frontier. Having the AFN research as a resource for in-depth research will help us continue as fore players in this market.”
Luke Lang - Marketing Director, Co-founder, Crowd Cube
Want to know more?
Sign up as a Basic Member to access our Knowledge Centres and all our video content.
Latest Content[-]
Emily Bendell, CEO, Bluebella
- We were delighted to get the chance to interview Emily Bendell, Founder and CEO of Bluebella. This was part of the Business Insight Programme we run with Workspace (Bluebella are a customer) Miscellaneous 24 Oct 2014 Comments (0)
Latest News Articles[-]
Latest Views and Insights[-]
Since I’ve been involved in the peer-to-peer lending industry, which is about two and a half years now, applying traditional marketing principles has always proven to be tricky. It’s a new market with huge potential, so narrowing your target audience isn’t straightforward. Plenty of people like the concept, but they’re not early adopters, so how much time should you invest in their education? Measuring the lifetime value of a customer is almost impossible too,...
2014 has been a balancing act for the Chinese banking system but has created an advantageous environment for alternative financial systems to thrive where it has faltered. In the case of P2P lending, 2014 has turned out to be a watershed year, with the number of P2P lending businesses rising from approximately 800 operational platforms in 2013, to 1,500 by Q3 of 2014, according to data from WangDaiZhiJia
Commercial finance brokers have traditionally played an important role in securing various types of finance for UK businesses. A qualified broker would help you search for the right source of finance, saving you time as a business owner to focus on growing and running your business. But the market for business finance is changing rapidly with an ever-growing number of online options developing, designed to make the process of securing business finance easier, quicker and much more accessi...
A Peer-to Peer Lending platform is an alternative banking model used by investors and borrowers alike to access liquidity and investment opportunities not currently being provided to the public by the mainstream banks. Because of the current economic situation, together with a growing population of internet savvy users, and the speed of achieving the end goals of the investors and borrowers, crowdfunding and P2P lending has become the growing phenomenon of the decade. Currently in the UK ...
A few weeks ago, the AFN caught up with Ian Thomas, Co-founder of LendInvest to learn about their model and how property based lending via P2P can enhance the marketplace for borrowers and lenders alike. Be sure to check out the LendInvest Case-study video in July!
Here is what he had to say:
P2P lending will provide a catalyst for change in the mortgage market, P2P lender’s use of technology and big data will enable better risk under...
Latest Research Seminar Synopses[-]
Please use the link above to download [500KB PDF] the Alternative Funding Network's Research Seminar Summary Report: Property Instruments in the Alternative Finance Space
This summary report highlights the main points discussed during our Research Seminar on Property-finance in Alternative Funding. This report features insights from our panel of the industry's leading experts.<...
Please use the link above to download the Alternative Funding Network's Research Seminar Summary Report: Getting the Investor Mix Right: Retail & Institutional Investors
This summary report highlights the main points discussed during our Research Seminar on the role of Investors in the alternative finance space. This report features insights from our panel of the industry's leading experts.
Luke Lang, Co-Founder & Director – Crowdcube
Graeme ...
Please use the link above to download the Alternative Funding Network's Research Seminar Summary Report: Deal Flow and Origination
On December 10th, the Alternative Funding Network hosted the last Research Seminar of the 2014 series on the topic of Deal Flow and Origination. This topic discussion serves to highlight how the sector has advanced and effected change with respect to flow and origination in order to encourage growth and SME engagement. The synopsis we will c...
Advancements in Regulation in the Alternative Funding Space
Please use the link below to download the Alternative Funding Network's Research Synopsis Report: Advancements in Regulation in the Alternative Funding Space
On February 16th, 2015 the AFN kicked-off our 2015 Research Seminar Series with a timely discussion on the regulatory landscape for Crowdfunding activities.This seminar focused ...
