18. MarketInvoice

Founder: Charles Delingpole and Anil Stocker
Founded: July 2010 (launched March 2011)
Website: www.marketinvoice.com

Unique within Europe, MarketInvoice is pioneering a new source of finance. Founded as an alternative to traditional factoring and invoice discounting, the business has been deemed ‘the eBay of invoices.’ Its online platform allows small companies to ease cashflow, by selling outstanding invoices to asset managers, hedge funds and other global investors. It couldn’t have launched at a better time; with the poor rates of bank lending coming under criticism, MarketInvoice provides an alternative way for small firms to raise finance in uncertain economic conditions.

The founders met while studying at Cambridge. Both fascinated by the way technology can make markets more efficient, they realised there was a gap in the market for an online marketplace for trading invoices – particularly as a result of the recession. The addition of new features to the site is imminent, as is a liaison office in Hong Kong.