Bluestar Leasing

What Bluestar Leasing does

Bluestar Leasing (legal entity: Blue Star Business Solutions Limited, Company Number 05083649) is a UK-based FCA-regulated credit broker that arranges asset finance and commercial loans for small and medium-sized enterprises. Founded in 2004 in Hampshire and acquired by Manx Financial Group PLC in 2018 through its subsidiary Bradburn Limited, the business operates as an intermediary between UK businesses seeking finance and a panel of lenders, with Conister Bank (a Manx Financial Group subsidiary) writing the majority of funding requests post-acquisition. Its product portfolio spans Finance Lease, Hire Purchase, Operating Lease, Refinance, Invoice Finance, Commercial Loans, and government-backed Recovery Loan Scheme facilities, complemented by a Personal Guarantee Insurance add-on. Verticals covered include hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, retail, education, engineering, brewery, restaurant, sports & leisure, and start-ups.

The underlying technology is a conventional finance brokering platform: online lease calculators, eSign document processing, and a Supplier Partner Programme that provides equipment dealers with co-branded calculators, hosted landing pages, and marketing collateral for point-of-sale finance offers. There is no proprietary AI, API, or SDK; the technology layer is designed for ease of use and dealer integration rather than algorithmic differentiation. The company emphasises operational speed as its service differentiator: a two-hour callback promise, credit decisions within hours, and supplier payment within 1–2 working days of completed documentation.

Bluestar earns revenue primarily through transaction commissions paid by lenders on completed finance agreements (a credit-broking model), with pricing presented as indicative monthly rentals for finance products and unit/loans from £1,000 (hotel equipment) or £5,000 (commercial loans) with no stated upper limit. The go-to-market is sales-led with a hybrid direct (phone, online quote forms, SEO-optimised content marketing) and channel (equipment supplier partners) motion, supported by participation in trade events and a sector-by-sector content strategy across more than 13 vertical landing pages. Post-2018 ownership under Manx Financial Group PLC provides regulatory, capital, and balance-sheet backing that distinguishes Bluestar from standalone broker competitors.

Name

Bluestar Leasing

Legal name

Blue Star Business Solutions Limited

Website

https://bluestarleasing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bluestar Leasing is a UK FCA-regulated credit broker arranging asset finance, leasing, and commercial loans for SMEs across hospitality, manufacturing, healthcare, and other sectors. Operating as a broker earning lender commissions, it uses direct sales and a supplier partner channel to originate deals funded primarily by Conister Bank.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Medstead

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. Finance Brokerage Commissions: Bluestar acts as an intermediary between businesses seeking finance and lenders. The company earns commission from lenders when finance agreements are completed. Commission disclosure is provided to customers, with specific amounts available upon request from Mark Hayman at Bluestar.
2. Asset Finance Products: Arranges finance leases, hire purchase agreements, operating leases, and commercial loans for business equipment. The company works with a panel of finance lenders including Conister Bank to write the majority of its funding requests following acquisition by Manx Financial Group.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bluestar Leasing arranges business asset finance and commercial loans for UK-registered companies, working as a credit broker with a panel of lenders. Its offering includes finance leases, hire purchase, operating leases, refinance, invoice finance, working capital and commercial loans, a government-backed Recovery Loan Scheme, and a supplier finance programme that enables equipment dealers to offer Bluestar finance to their customers through co-branded calculators and tools.

Product overview

Bluestar Leasing is an asset finance and commercial lending company that operates as a platform of interconnected financial products. The core offerings include Asset Finance, Commercial Loans, Finance Lease, Hire Purchase, Operating Lease, Refinance Solutions, Invoice Finance, and Supplier Finance. These products are complemented by specific sub-products for tax-related financing (Corporation Tax Loans, VAT Loans), technology financing (Technology Loans), and government-backed recovery schemes (Recovery Loan Scheme). The company also offers Personal Guarantee Insurance as a risk-protection add-on. The product portfolio is designed to serve UK businesses of all sizes, from startups to large organisations, providing financing solutions across diverse asset categories including technology, machinery, vehicles, catering equipment, gym equipment, and office fit-outs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Asset Finance Asset finance arrangement for UK businesses to acquire equipment including technology, catering equipment, vehicles, machinery and office refurbishment, sourced through Bluestar's panel of lenders.
• Commercial Loans Commercial loans from £5,000 (no stated upper limit) for UK businesses needing working capital, websites, corporation tax, building works and general business purposes.
• Finance Lease Flexible finance agreement for most business assets including intangible items such as software and installation costs, with VAT applied to each rental payment.
• Hire Purchase Fixed-term commercial hire purchase agreement for hard assets such as vehicles, plant and machinery, qualifying for the UK government's 130% super-deduction tax allowance.
• Operating Lease Operating lease from £5,000 with typical terms of 1-3 years. Built-in residual value delivers lower monthly rentals; rentals are 100% tax deductible; ownership remains with the lessor.
• Refinance Solutions Asset refinance solutions to unlock capital from existing business assets and raise working capital, on flexible terms from 1-5 years across all tangible assets.
• Invoice Finance Finance solution enabling UK businesses to access cash tied up in outstanding invoices.
• Supplier Finance Programme Programme providing equipment suppliers with co-branded calculators, landing pages, marketing collateral, partner notifications and sales tools so they can offer Bluestar finance to their customers.
• Corporation Tax Loans Specific loan product for UK businesses to fund corporation tax liability payments.
• VAT Loans Short-term loan product for VAT liability payments, typically structured over 4 months for UK businesses.
• Technology Loans Loan product targeted at UK businesses' technology investments and IT equipment purchases.
• Recovery Loan Scheme Government-backed Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) launched in April 2021 to help UK businesses access finance during COVID-19 recovery. Bluestar is an approved RLS lending partner working with a panel of British Business Bank-accredited lenders to offer RLS loans and RLS asset finance.
• Personal Guarantee Insurance Insurance product insuring up to 80% of personal guarantee value, with cover up to £550,000 for secured loans and £400,000 for unsecured loans, plus business support and advisory services.

Quantifiable outcome

• Finance approved within 1 hour for qualifying applications
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Finance and Leasing AssociationminorOthersBluestar references FLA data and industry figures. The FLA reported £32 billion provided to UK businesses in 2017, with asset finance representing about a third of UK investment in machinery, equipment and purchased software.
• Carbon TrustminorOthersCarbon Trust provides grants for approved green energy installations. Example: A customer received £3,000 approved by Carbon Trust as part of an LED lighting finance package.
• OGL SoftwareminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDedicated landing page and lease calculator for OGL Software customers to finance OGL business software solutions through Bluestar.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Shire Leasing: UK-based asset finance broker and funder offering hire purchase, leasing, and refinancing to SMEs and partnerships, often via broker and dealer channels. Directly comparable to Bluestar in target customer (UK SMEs), product set (asset finance, HP, refinance), and broker-led distribution model.
• Henry Howard Finance: Welsh-based UK asset finance broker specialising in finance for SMEs across equipment, vehicles and technology. Closely comparable to Bluestar in customer profile (UK SMEs), product range, and reliance on broker/dealer origination channels.
• Liberty Leasing: UK asset finance and leasing provider to SMEs, offering finance leases, operating leases and hire purchase on a panel-based model. Comparable to Bluestar in scale, target customer, and product breadth within UK SME asset finance.
• Tandem Leasing: Specialist UK asset finance broker for SMEs offering hire purchase, finance lease, and operating lease solutions. Comparable to Bluestar in customer segment, product mix, and reliance on a multi-lender panel.
• Inspired Financial Services: UK asset finance and commercial loan broker arranging finance for SMEs through a lender panel, including hire purchase, leasing and refinance. Comparable to Bluestar in scale, broker model, and SME equipment finance proposition.
• Fisher Asset Finance: UK asset finance broker arranging finance for SMEs via a panel of lenders, with specialism in equipment, vehicle and technology finance. Directly comparable to Bluestar's broker model, panel funding structure, and SME customer focus.

Broad incumbents

• Lombard (NatWest Group): UK asset finance arm of NatWest Group providing leasing, hire purchase, and asset-based lending to businesses of all sizes. Comparable to Bluestar in product offering (asset finance, HP, lease) but operates as a much larger, bank-affiliated balance-sheet lender rather than a broker.
• Close Brothers Asset Finance: UK-based asset finance division of Close Brothers Group, providing hire purchase, leasing and refinancing to SMEs across multiple sectors. Comparable to Bluestar as a UK SME-focused asset finance provider, but materially larger, balance-sheet funded, and operating with broader banking relationships.
• Siemens Financial Services: Captive equipment financier providing leasing and loans for industrial machinery, technology and software, including SME and mid-market customers. Comparable to Bluestar in equipment finance specialism and willingness to fund intangibles like software, but is a balance-sheet captive rather than a broker.
• Hewlett-Packard Financial Services (HPFS): Global captive financier for HP technology products, offering leasing and financing to business customers including SMEs. Comparable to Bluestar in technology/equipment finance, eSign-driven transactions, and willingness to finance software, but at much larger scale and as an OEM captive.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bluestarleasing

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Bluestar Leasing