In our latest episode in our series of conversations with FinTech founders and leaders, Gautam Pillai sat down with Christoph Rieche, Co founder & CEO of Iwoca, to explore how technology led underwriting and disciplined execution are reshaping SME finance in the UK and Germany.
A few standout insights from the conversation
🔍 Tech-driven scale: 80–90% of credit decisions are automated, accelerating access and consistency for SMEs.
📦 Product expansion: From invoice finance to loan limits up to £1m, Iwoca is building toward a comprehensive SME finance platform.
📈 Record performance: FY24 delivered £952m in loans (+52% YoY), £234m revenue (+64%), and £59.1m PBT.
🌍 Impact at breadth: Over 100,000 businesses funded since 2012, with lending increasingly outside London, supporting growth, jobs, and regional resilience.
⚖️ Regulatory lens: As alternative lenders exceed 60% share in SME lending, proportionate frameworks are critical to sustain responsible innovation and competition.
🧭 Operating system ambition: The vision extends beyond lending, towards an integrated toolkit that helps SMEs manage cashflow, invoices, and growth.
Watch the full interview below
