Equity newsletter: Focus on fintech, NFTs and VCs

Last reviewed on November 15, 2022

Reading time: 3 min

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With the first shoots of the spring flowers poking through the grass, it’s good to remember that the best gardens are less about chance and more about an experienced gardener working with nature. Yes, this is a metaphor for business.

In this edition of Swoop’s equity newsletter:

Our team of experts is always available to help you out with any queries, simply get in touch with us here: equity@swoopfunding.com.

Happy reading!
#TeamSwoop

Investor Q&A Feb 2022 - Maxence from Breega

What motivates VCs to invest in a company? Is it all about the business or is the founder’s character more important? To answer these questions, Tom Butterworth, Equity Manager at Swoop, talked to Maxence Drummond, Principal at Breega, a rapidly-growing European VC firm built by entrepreneurs who understand the needs of startups and growing businesses.

To find out more about the company’s attitude and investment offer, read the full interview.

What we’ve been reading - Fintech Focus

Focus on fintech

Almost a year ago, the government’s Kalifa Review into the UK fintech sector was published with the intention of encouraging investment and development of fintech companies in the UK by aligning more closely with the US stock market rules.

As the review found, the industry is now worth over £11bn to the UK economy and constitutes an important contributor to GDP.

But UK fintech leaders from companies including OakNorth, Monzo, Klarna, and Starling have published an open letter warning that the sector risked being taken for granted and that regulators should have a “clear strategy” to manage risk in cryptocurrency and decentralised finance. The government, say the signatories, risk stifling growth by “resting on our laurels” while the competition elsewhere gathers strength.

The open letter also urges a revision of current regulation around crypto assets to make it more attractive for blockchain and decentralised finance fintech businesses to set up shop in the UK.

https://www.uktech.news/news/government-and-policy/fintech-regulation-uk-open-letter-government-20220221

In other Fintech related news, Flutterwave has just become Africa’s highest-valued startup with a $3 billion valuation that came with a fresh $250 million Series D round of funding.

What’s hot - Making sense of NFTs

You will probably have heard about NFTs, but how relevant are they to your business?

Neil Dillon, Head of Equity at Swoop, has put together a short guide to what NFTs are and how they could be used by your business to protect intellectual property, build relationships with customers and reduce fraud.

Upcoming events - Perfecting your Pitch Deck and Equity Matters

Our very own Neil Dillion, Head of Equity, will be giving some valuable advice on perfecting your pitch deck along with Seedlegals’ Funding Strategist, Julia Toper. Secure your spot for the event on Wednesday at 12pm.

For the Irish founders reading, the second of Enterprise Ireland’s Equity Matters webinar series on Tuesday the 22nd of March will discuss the various ways to raise finance.