There are no straight lines in funding a company to self-sufficiency and, ultimately, profitability. Having reviewed over 150 potential borrowers in a wide variety of industries and life-stages, the only thing we know is that no two loan applications are the same.
This diversity of applicant companies has only increased as we have extended our offering further into the R&D, video games and film tax credit lending market. And if it also gives us a decent excuse to undertake vital business development at film and video games festivals then we shall just have to be brave and take the plunge! A trip to E3 might be pushing it a bit for the budget committee to approve just yet, however…
This year we have had some enquiries regarding loan structures which encompass a mix of different variables (draw down timings, repayment schedules and equity warrants to name but a few). We feel that this is where Finstock Capital can provide a service that few other debt providers offer, namely a truly bespoke service. Whereas a bank or larger lending institution won’t lend unless it can be neatly dropped into a particular box, we are happy to work with companies to find a solution that works for them.
For example, video games companies are often entitled to two types of tax credits: Video Games Tax Relief and R&D tax credits. The rules are slightly different for each regime, and the documentation used for each type of loan is consequentially different. That puts off lenders who aren’t prepared to spend time with a company to understand their exact needs. Because we look to build long term lending relationships with clients, we are happy to invest the time and energy it takes to reach the best solution for all parties.
This has recently led us to provide longer term finance whereby we include warrants to give us equity upside alongside the debt which we provide. This aligns our interests and gives us a more tools at our disposal to reach a solution that works for all parties