Shard Credit Partners

Name

Shard Credit Partners

Legal name

Shard Credit Partners Ltd

Website

https://shardcreditpartners.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Credit Lending

NAICS

Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Credit / Direct Lending (FSAAAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Venture Growth / Recurring Revenue Credit Funds (FSANAIAG), Alternative Investments for Private Wealth (Hedge Funds, PE/VC Access, Private Credit) (FSAAABAI)

Keywords

• Private credit lending
• Alternative SME finance
• Direct lending funds
• Venture debt financing
• Trade finance solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Fund Management Fees: Management fees charged on assets under management across direct lending and venture debt funds.
2. Performance/Carry Fees: Performance fees from successful fund investments generating returns for investors.
3. Loan Interest Income: Interest income from senior secured unitranche loans provided to UK SMEs, offering floating rate returns with downside protection.
4. Trade Finance: Structured trade finance solutions optimizing working capital and mitigating risk for corporates operating across global supply chains, with regular quarterly cash distributions from diversified pool of short-term trade finance instruments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Shard Credit Partners is an alternative investment fund manager providing private credit strategies to UK SMEs in the lower mid-market. The firm provides senior secured unitranche loans of £5-25 million per borrower, technology venture debt to UK growth-stage companies with at least £2 million ARR, and structured international trade finance solutions. Capital is raised from institutional investors and deployed through three distinct funds with combined assets under management of approximately £200 million.

Product overview

Shard Credit Partners is an alternative investment fund manager offering a portfolio of private credit strategies focused on the UK lower mid-market. The core offering consists of three distinct strategies: Corporate Direct Lending (senior secured unitranche loans of £5-25 million to SMEs), Technology Venture Debt (growth capital to UK tech companies with £2M+ ARR), and International Trade Finance (structured solutions for global supply chains). The firm manages multiple funds including Fund I (Direct Lending, £90.2M first close 2017), Direct Lending Fund II (£250M target), and Venture Debt Fund I (£75M first close 2022). Current AUM stands at approximately £200 million across these strategies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Corporate Direct Lending Senior secured unitranche loans of £5-25 million per borrower to UK SMEs in the lower mid-market (companies with enterprise value below £50 million), targeting both private equity-backed (Sponsored) and non-PE backed (Sponsorless) categories. Used for transformative growth capital, MBO financing, M&A buy-and-build strategies, event-driven financing, and growth capital expenditure. Minimum EBITDA requirement of £1 million. Does not lend to businesses principally involved in property/real estate.
• Technology Venture Debt UK tech-focused venture debt strategy providing flexible loan capital to VC-backed growth-stage businesses in the B2B SaaS and fintech sectors with annual recurring revenues of at least £2.0 million.
• International Trade Finance Structured trade finance solutions that optimise working capital and mitigate risk for corporates operating across global supply chains. Offers three or five year fixed income notes with regular quarterly cash distributions from a diversified pool of short-term trade finance instruments. Notes available with ISIN and credit enhancement features including investment grade credit wrapper, distributed through a Luxembourg securitisation vehicle.
• Shard Credit Partners Direct Lending Fund II Second vintage UK lower mid-market direct lending fund with a fundraising target of £250 million. Continues the strategy of providing senior secured unitranche loans to UK SMEs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17.9% gross IRR and 1.8x multiple on invested capital over nearly 5 years from Gradwell Communications exit
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Shard Capital AIFM LLPcoreOthersShard Credit Partners Ltd is an Appointed Representative of Shard Capital AIFM LLP, which is authorised and regulated by the FCA (number 615463). Provides regulatory oversight and fund management infrastructure.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Beechbrook Capital: UK-focused lower mid-market private debt manager providing senior secured loans to SMEs, with similar ticket sizes and focus on the same funding gap that Shard Credit Partners targets.
• Connection Capital: UK private credit firm focused on sub-£100M EV SME lending with both direct lending and venture debt strategies, directly comparable in ticket size, geography and target borrower profile.
• BOOST&Co: UK venture debt provider to growth-stage technology businesses, a direct peer to Shard's Venture Debt Fund I, serving similar B2B SaaS and growth tech borrowers.
• Capza: European private debt manager (formerly Capzanine) offering senior secured loans to mid-market companies across Europe; comparable strategy, ticket size and asset class focus to Shard's direct lending franchise.
• Hayfin Capital Management: European direct lending and private credit manager with significant UK mid-market exposure; operates a larger, more established version of the same senior secured unitranche strategy.
• Stenn International: Global trade finance platform providing working capital solutions to SMEs trading internationally; directly comparable to Shard's International Trade Finance strategy serving GCC and other regions.

Broad incumbents

• Muzinich & Co: Global private credit asset manager with direct lending and specialty credit funds across Europe and the US; broader product portfolio but overlapping investor base and strategy.
• Alcentra: Large global private credit manager (subsidiary of Bank of New York Mellon) operating direct lending, mezzanine and special situations strategies with UK mid-market exposure.
• Permira Debt Managers: European direct lending and private debt manager within the Permira group, focused on mid-market senior secured lending at larger scale than Shard.
• Tikehau Capital: European alternative asset manager with a sizeable direct lending and private debt franchise; broader product set but comparable senior secured mid-market strategy and European LP base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/10320089

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments7 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shard Credit Partners