6 Reasons Start-Ups Should Explore Asset Finance

6 Reasons Start-Ups Should Explore Asset Finance

Embarking on the entrepreneurial journey is an exhilarating pursuit, yet one that often encounters a common hurdle - the challenge of securing adequate startup business funding. 

For startups, the quest for financial support can be both daunting and crucial. In this blog, we delve into the intricate landscape of startup business funding, shedding light on the hurdles faced by emerging ventures and offering a roadmap to overcome them. 

Join us on this insightful journey, as we explore various business funding options and unravel the complexities of startup business finance.

Navigating the startup business funding terrain

In the realm of startup funding, entrepreneurs grapple with traditional funding options vs alternative funding. Here, we dissect the differences between conventional funding and the innovative solutions provided by business finance

Collateral dependency vs flexibility

  • Traditional funding: Often demands substantial collateral, limiting startups with fewer tangible assets.
  • Millbrook's solutions: Offers flexibility with less stringent collateral requirements, enabling startups to secure business funding based on potential rather than solely on assets.

Credit history emphasis vs holistic evaluation

  • Traditional funding: Places significant emphasis on a startup's credit history, potentially excluding those with limited credit records.
  • Millbrook's solutions: Utilises a more holistic evaluation approach, considering various factors beyond credit history to gauge the startup's business potential.

Fixed loan structures vs tailored financing

  • Traditional funding: Adheres to fixed loan structures that may not align with the specific needs and cash flow patterns of startups.
  • Millbrook's solutions: Provides tailored financing solutions with customisable repayment plans, ensuring startups can navigate financial challenges more effectively.

 Long-term commitments vs scalability

  • Traditional funding: Often involves long-term commitments, limiting a startup's ability to adapt to changing circumstances or scale rapidly.
  • Millbrook's solutions: Prioritises scalability, offering financing options that align with the dynamic nature of startups, allowing for quick adjustments in response to growth opportunities.

Limited relationship building vs partnership approach

  • Traditional funding: May focus solely on transactional relationships, limiting the support and guidance available to startups beyond the initial funding.
  • Millbrook's solutions: Adopts a partnership approach, fostering ongoing relationships with startups, providing not just funds but also guidance and support throughout their growth journey over time.

Empowering startups with asset finance for equipment and fitout needs

In the dynamic landscape of startup business funding, asset and equipment finance emerges as the game-changing solution, for those that meet the criteria. This type of finance allows startups to secure essential equipment to fit out their premises through flexible financing, steering away from the constraints of traditional upfront purchases. 

Asset finance strategically facilitates the acquisition of necessary assets crucial for a startup's growth without imposing undue strain on immediate financial resources.

Flexible asset & equipment finance solutions

Startups can unlock a spectrum of equipment, machinery, and vehicle opportunities through asset finance, with two prominent options – hire purchase and lease purchase.

Hire purchase: This option entails the gradual ownership of assets through incremental payments. Here are some of the benefits of hire purchase:

  • Doesn't disrupt cash flow
  • Increases affordability of assets
  • Competitive interest rates available
  • Own the asset after the final instalment
  • VAT paid upfront or deferred for up to 3 months
  • Repayment terms of 1 – 7 years
  • Balloon payments available

Lease purchase: This option entails utilising an asset with the choice to purchase it at the lease term's conclusion. Here’s what you need to know about lease purchases:

  • Option to purchase the item at the end of the term
  • Can access higher specification machinery
  • Pay instalments rather than large upfront costs
  • Flexible repayment terms
  • VAT paid in monthly instalments
  • Repayments are 100% tax deductible
  • No deposit options available

Obtain diverse startup equipment and machinery 

The magnetic appeal of asset finance for startups lies in its intrinsic flexibility and unmatched ability to fund an array of hard and soft assets to get a business up and running. 

Hard assets: Hard assets are high-value items, often types of machinery and vehicles required to keep your business moving. These are long-term assets that can retain their value for many years.

Soft assets: Soft assets are lower-value items that help staff perform their jobs and provide a productive working environment, such as furniture, IT and security equipment, telecoms and sector-specific tools.

This financing avenue becomes a strategic business funding choice for startups as it offers the ability to choose from diverse asset types and financing options, empowering startups to manage resources strategically and foster growth without compromising financial agility.

6 reasons asset finance is best for startups

In this section we shed light on the compelling reasons why startups choose asset finance for their business funding needs, unveiling its transformative potential.

1. Overcome credit challenges 

Asset finance serves as a lifeline for startups facing credit challenges, providing a viable funding avenue even in the presence of limited credit history or other financial hurdles. By leveraging assets as collateral, startups can secure the necessary funds, unlocking opportunities that traditional credit-focused avenues may restrict.

2. Fast and efficient approval process

Startups operate in a fast-paced environment where timing is crucial. Asset finance streamlines the approval process, offering a swift and efficient route to secure funding. With reduced bureaucracy and a focus on unique business merits, startups can swiftly move from application to approval.

3. Preserve cash flow

Asset finance empowers startups to preserve vital working capital by providing an alternative to large upfront payments. By spreading the cost of acquiring assets over time, startups maintain liquidity, allowing them to allocate funds strategically to various operational needs.

4. Tailored repayment structures

One size does not fit all, especially in the diverse landscape of startups. Asset finance recognises this, offering tailored repayment structures aligned with the unique cash flow patterns of each business. Startups benefit from repayment plans that accommodate their financial capabilities, ensuring sustainability and growth.

5. Secure high-value assets

Startups often need high-value assets to catalyse their operations and elevate their market presence. Asset finance provides a pathway to secure these assets without imposing a significant financial burden. From cutting-edge machinery to state-of-the-art technology, startups can leverage asset finance to acquire the tools that propel them into competitive landscapes.

6. Scaling opportunities

The journey of a startup is marked by dynamic growth, and asset finance aligns seamlessly with this trajectory. It serves as a catalyst for scaling operations by providing the necessary funds to expand and seize new opportunities.

With the flexibility inherent in asset finance, startups can adapt their financing strategies to align with evolving business needs, ensuring sustained growth on their entrepreneurial journey.

Summary: Elevating your startup journey with Millbrook’s asset and equipment finance

In summary, asset finance underscores its indispensable role in shaping the success story of startups. With this flexible startup business funding solution, new ventures have the opportunity to adjust their financing to meet their dynamic and changing needs along their growth journey.

Take the next step in your startup's growth trajectory by exploring the tailored asset finance solutions available with Millbrook Business Finance. Our commitment to providing fast and affordable finance solutions sets us apart, ensuring that your startup not only thrives but accelerates business growth.

With our support, you can take confident steps towards achieving your startup business objectives and securing a prosperous future.

Ready to take the next step? You can submit a quick enquiry to check your eligibility or speak to one of our finance broker experts now.

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