London Funding Circle Raises $65M in Only Four Years

London’s Fin‑Tech Rocket, Funding Circle, Lands a Massive $65 M Series D

Hold onto your hats—London’s fintech scene just got a shiny new feather! Funding Circle has pulled in a staggering $65 million during its latest Series D round, making it one of the biggest funding deals ever seen across Europe.

From 2010 to 2014: A Rapid Rise

Founded in 2010, the platform has been growing faster than a caffeine‑infused coder at an office party.
It’s not your typical bank: anyone can lend money and anyone can borrow—no need for a university degree or a fancy résumé.
Started with hobbyist retail investors and expanded to include local authorities, government bodies, institutional lenders, and a big partnership with Santander.

What the Money Is Doing

Target: $600 million of loans to small businesses in 2014.
So far, more than £316 million has already gone out—meaning tiny firms around the UK are getting the funding they need.

Investor Perks

Average return of 6.1%—talk about a sweet return on investment.
Risk is configurable: high risk for higher returns, low risk for steadier gains.
Funding Circle keeps a modest 1% annual fee on loan repayments and a 0.25% cut if you decide to sell a loan on the market.

Founders & Key Players

Samir Desai (CEO), James Meekings (CMO), and Andrew Mullinger at the helm.
Notable investors: Betfair’s Ed Wray, Carphone Warehouse’s Charles Dunstone.
Full equity funding to date: $123 million, with a recent $58 million splash in October 2013.

Backers of the Round

Lead investor: Index Ventures.
Supporting players: Accel Partners, Union Square Ventures, and Ribbit Capital.
Neil Rimer (Index Ventures) trumpeted the deal as a “category‑defining company that pioneered a marketplace for business loans.”He sees the founders as the new generation of fintech pioneers blending tech with fresh business models to outperform banks.

>> Meet London’s 32 hottest fin-tech companies

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