The awards are in their fourth year and highlighted the best alternative finance outfits, including established companies and new entrants. Awards were given in 20 categories, including a people’s choice category.
There were three multiple-award winners. UK -based P2P lending unicorn Funding Circle nabbed the Platform of the Year, Clarity of Data, and Editors’ Choice awards. LendInvest, which provides fast finance for property professionals and access to invest in secured property loans won Alternative Platform of the Year and came out on top in the One to Watch category. Lastly, Octopus Investments’ Octopus Choice platform won the Property Finance Platform of the Year and the Most Innovative Product of the Year awards. The P2P platform gives clients the opportunity to invest in short-term, asset backed property loans with a conservative loan-to-value ratio.
UK challenger bank Monzo won the Digital Bank of the Year award. One judge noted: “I love Monzo’s analytics and I loved the way, this year, they asked their users to vote on how they should change the way they service and charge for overseas ATM withdrawals. They cleverly turned a difficult issue for the company into a great piece of user engagement.”
The other winners are as follows:
P2P Consumer Platform of the Year—Zopa
Most Innovative Crowdfunding Campaign of the Year—Crowdcube
Direct Lending Platform of the Year—Spotcap
Crowdfunding Platform of the Year—Syndicate Room
Digital Wealth Manger of the Year—Eftmatic
PR/Marketing firm/Division of the Year—Societyone
Consulting and Corporate Advice Firm of the Year—RSM
Legal Advisory Firm of the Year—Taylor Wessing
People’s Choice Award—Mintos
Alternative Credit Fund Manager of the Year—RM Secured Direct Lending Plc
Special Industry Contribution— Patrick de Nonneville
Aggregator of the Year—Goji Investments