STAR Asset Finance Group

What STAR Asset Finance Group does

STAR Asset Finance Group is a UK-based asset finance broker and lender serving small and medium-sized enterprises, structured as a private consortium of four FCA-authorised subsidiaries: Credo Capital Finance Limited (FRN 670362), First Capital Finance Limited (FRN 679066), Ignition Credit PLC (FRN 679018) and Kennet Equipment Leasing Limited (FRN 676024). The parent, STAR Asset Finance Limited, is incorporated in Guernsey (company number 58708) with UK operations headquartered in Coleshill, Birmingham and regional offices in Bournemouth, Truro and St Peter Port. The group operates a hybrid broker-and-principal model, arranging finance through a panel of more than 50 lenders (including Aldermore, Shawbrook, Lloyds, Paragon, Close Asset Finance, Hitachi Capital/Novuna, Funding Circle and Liberis) while also deploying its own balance sheet to underwrite deals that automated credit processes decline.

The product surface spans financial services, leasing, vehicle finance (car, commercial, prestige, classic, bus/coach, HGV), business loans, asset refinance, cashflow finance, invoice finance, hire purchase, contract hire, PCP, tax-liability finance and VAT deferrals, plus sector-specific finance across agriculture, construction, healthcare, education, hospitality, aviation, marine, automotive, technology, engineering, retail, cleaning and leisure/sports. A newer Eco Finance / Renewable Energy Finance line and a Supplier Finance point-of-sale offering expand the surface beyond core asset lending. Technology is conventional rather than proprietary: Open Banking integration via Creditsafe Business Solutions Limited on the Equifax portal supports affordability verification, and AI-assisted process automation is applied to marketing and customer service, with human review preserved for significant credit decisions.

Revenue mechanics rely on two streams: commission from lenders (fixed fee, fixed rate, percentage of amount borrowed, or rate-for-risk models) for brokered volume, and interest or hiring income on the in-house book for direct lending. Pricing is quote-based and tailored to customer creditworthiness, asset type and sector cycles (e.g., seasonal payment alignment for agriculture). Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-based, with regional business development managers, four branded sub-sites, Trustpilot profiles per brand, content marketing and earned media via Business Moneyfacts Awards (Asset Finance Broker of the Year in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2026). The company is bootstrapped with no external private equity or venture capital identified.

Name

STAR Asset Finance Group

Legal name

STAR Asset Finance Limited

Website

https://starassetfinance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

STAR Asset Finance Group is a UK-based asset finance broker and lender, operating through four FCA-authorised subsidiaries (Credo, First Capital Finance, Ignition Credit, Kennet Equipment Leasing) to deliver leasing, vehicle finance and business loans to thousands of UK SMEs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Asset Finance / SME Lending

SIC

Loan Brokers (6163), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Equipment & Asset Finance (SME) (FSAKAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

SME Term Loans & Growth Capital (FSAKAGAB)

Keywords

• Asset finance brokerage
• SME business loans
• Equipment leasing services
• Vehicle finance solutions
• Business finance brokerage

Headquarters

HQ city

Coleshill

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Asset Finance Brokerage: Acting as credit broker, arranging finance agreements between customers and lenders from their panel. They do not charge customers a fee for broker services but receive commission from lenders.
2. Direct Lending: Lending their own money to customers, earning money from repayments in the form of interest or hiring charges. This enables them to support businesses that might not fit standard automated approval processes.
3. Commission from Lenders: When acting as credit broker, they receive commission from lenders through various models: fixed fee, fixed rate of commission, percentage of amount borrowed, or rate for risk based on risk profile of proposal.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

STAR Asset Finance Group is a UK asset finance broker and direct lender serving SMEs. It arranges finance (leasing, hire purchase, vehicle finance, business loans, invoice finance, etc.) via a panel of 50+ lenders and through its own FCA-authorised subsidiary brands (Kennet, Credo, First Capital, Ignition). It also lends its own capital to customers who do not fit automated approval processes, providing flexible, human-decided structures across sectors including agriculture, construction, aviation, and hospitality.

Product overview

STAR Asset Finance Group is an award-winning national business finance provider operating as a platform of four subsidiary brands (Kennet Leasing, Credo Finance, First Capital Finance, and Ignition Credit). The offering centers on flexible business finance solutions for SMEs across the UK, combining broker services with in-house lending capabilities. The core product portfolio spans Financial Services, Leasing, Vehicle Finance, Business Loans, Extra Services, and Eco Finance (Renewable Energy Finance). Vehicle-specific offerings include Car Finance, Commercial Vehicle Finance, Prestige Car Finance, Classic Car Finance, Bus and Coach Finance, and Haulage and HGV Finance. Finance structures offered include Asset Refinance, Cashflow Finance, Contract Hire, Hire Purchase, Invoice Finance, PCP, Tax Liability Finance, VAT Deferrals, and Supplier Finance. The group also provides sector-specific financing across Agriculture, Construction, Technology, Healthcare, Education, Marine, Aviation, Cleaning, Hospitality, Leisure and Sports, Retail, Automotive, and Engineering sectors. This multi-brand, multi-product architecture enables the group to serve diverse market segments while maintaining local expertise and national scale.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Credo: Part of STAR Asset Finance Group, providing credit broker and lender services
• First Capital Finance
• Ignition
• Kennet

Products and services

• Financial Services Tailored financial solutions for UK SMEs to help businesses move forward with confidence, combining broker-sourced finance and in-house lending across multiple finance products.
• Leasing Equipment leasing services enabling UK businesses to use assets (machinery, equipment) without owning them outright, typically the most popular method of financing new equipment.
• Vehicle Finance Flexible vehicle finance broker services for UK businesses and individuals covering cars, commercial vehicles, HGVs, minibuses, classic cars, prestige vehicles, buses, and coaches.
• Business Loans Straightforward, no-hassle business loans arranged for UK SMEs to support growth, expansion, working capital, acquisitions, and other business needs.
• Extra Services (Cashflow & Invoice Finance) Additional finance services including Cashflow Finance, Invoice Finance, Asset Refinance, Contract Hire, Hire Purchase, PCP, Tax Liability Finance, VAT Deferrals, and Supplier Finance, designed to simplify operations, improve cash flow, and adapt to evolving business needs.
• Eco Finance (Renewable Energy Finance) Tailored financial solutions for the renewable energy sector and UK businesses adopting sustainable initiatives.
• Agricultural Finance Funding solutions specifically designed to support UK farming, rural, and agricultural businesses to invest in essential assets (tractors, sprayers, trailers, combine harvesters, livestock, land) while managing cash flow aligned to harvest cycles.
• Construction Finance Flexible funding helping UK construction businesses manage cash flow, access essential equipment (excavators, cranes, dumpers, loaders, rollers, commercial vehicles), and support growth without large upfront costs.
• Aviation Finance Finance solutions for UK flight schools, aviation training centres, and aviation businesses requiring aircraft, flight simulators, and training equipment financing.
• Hospitality Finance Finance solutions for the UK hospitality sector including hotels, restaurants, cafes, and hospitality service providers needing hospitality equipment, catering machinery, and hotel fixture financing.
• Healthcare Finance Finance solutions tailored for the UK healthcare sector to acquire medical equipment and manage cash flow.
• Classic Car Finance Specialist classic car finance broker offering competitive bespoke packages for classic cars, including funding for restoration projects.
• Prestige Car Finance Flexible finance solutions for luxury vehicles including Ferrari, Range Rover, Porsche, Aston Martin, McLaren, and Lamborghini.
• Bus and Coach Finance Bespoke bus and coach financing solutions for single vehicles or whole fleets, tailored to UK business needs.
• Haulage and HGV Finance Alternative financing options for UK haulage and HGV industry equipment without pressure on the business.
• Supplier Finance Point-of-sale finance arrangements allowing UK suppliers to offer financing options to their customers at the point of sale.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% waste reduction achieved through financed electrostatic spray robot investment
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Creditsafe Business Solutions Limited (CBSL)coreTechnology or IntegrationOpen Banking partner providing secure access to bank account information via Equifax portal for credit assessment and affordability verification.
• British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA)minorOthersTrade body for vehicle rental and leasing industry. Unresolved disputes may be referred to BVRLA for conciliation.
• Finance and Leasing Association (FLA)minorOthersTrade body for asset finance industry. Complaints that do not fall under FOS jurisdiction may be referred to FLA.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Capify: UK alternative SME lender offering working capital and unsecured business loans. Direct competitor for the same small-business borrower profile and an alternative to STAR's loan products.
• Funding Circle: UK-listed SMB lending platform offering business loans and asset finance to SMEs; an alternative origination channel but with a more automated, fintech-led model. Functions as both a competitive threat and a panel partner alongside STAR.
• iwoca: UK fintech lender providing working-capital and business loans to SMEs via automated decisioning. Competes with STAR's business loan and invoice finance lines for the same SME segment.
• Liberis: Revenue-based finance provider to UK small businesses; listed as a STAR panel partner and competes in the alternative-SME-finance space with a more automated, embedded-finance model.

Broad incumbents

• Novuna (Hitachi Capital UK): Major UK asset finance and vehicle solutions provider serving SMEs and consumers. Functions as a panel lender for STAR while also competing for the same direct-to-SME equipment finance demand.
• Close Brothers Asset Finance: Established UK asset finance division of Close Brothers Group, providing equipment and vehicle finance to SMEs and corporates. A panel lender for STAR and a broader-incumbent competitor with deeper capital base.

Direct peers

• Premium Choice Finance: UK asset and vehicle finance broker serving SMEs and consumers, with similar product breadth (leasing, hire purchase, business loans) and a panel of third-party funders — closely comparable to STAR's broker business.
• Simply Asset Finance: UK-based asset finance broker focused on SMEs, matching STAR's broker model and target customer base across leasing, vehicle, and equipment finance. Direct channel competitor for the same panel of lenders.
• Henry Howard Finance: UK asset finance broker and lender for SMEs across equipment and vehicle categories. Operates a near-identical hybrid broker-lender proposition to STAR Asset Finance Group.
• Plus Asset Finance: UK asset finance broker arranging leasing and equipment finance for SMEs through a lender panel — directly competing with STAR for the same sub-prime and non-standard SME deals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about STAR Asset Finance Group