What Kikin does

Kikin Financial Limited is a UK-based fintech operating since 2023 that provides non-dilutive, AI-powered invoice financing to small and medium-sized enterprises, with a deliberate focus on purpose-led and ESG-credentialed consumer brands. The platform pays suppliers' invoices on behalf of the borrower and collects repayment over 1–6 months via GoCardless Direct Debit, with no equity taken, no personal guarantees, and no setup fees; per-invoice fees are set by credit assessment, and borrowers holding B Corp or 1% for the Planet accreditation receive up to 15% fee discounts. The product is distributed as a self-serve, web-based application at app.kikin.io restricted to UK entities registered with Companies House in England, Wales, or Scotland.

The core technology is a proprietary AI underwriting engine that combines FCA-regulated Open Banking data with native integrations to Xero, QuickBooks, and Clear Books, producing credit decisions in approximately five minutes and credit lines claimed to be up to 40% larger than what traditional underwriting allows. The engineering stack uses cloud-based serverless architecture and the Effect functional TypeScript library, and the platform is also integrated into the Xero App Store, where it was featured in the 'New and Noteworthy' collection in December 2025; when Kikin funds an invoice, Xero automatically marks the bill as paid and reconciles cashflows. Kikin Financial Limited is FCA-registered under MLR 2017 (reg. 1016692) and GDPR-compliant, with registered addresses in Cardiff (headquarters) and London.

Revenue is generated through per-invoice transaction fees, supplemented by ESG-linked pricing tiers; in January 2026 the company secured an up-to-$20 million debt facility through Percent's private credit marketplace to scale originations, and public customer references include Dr. Will's, The Nue Co, Manors Golf, Citizens of Soil, Blue Turaco Coffee, Punchy Drinks, Homethings, Tallow & Ash, Fittle, Janji, Nice Drinks, Good & Proper, Hylo, Pickles, and L'estrange. Marketing is primarily content-, SEO-, and ESG-positioning-driven, with active presence on LinkedIn and X (Twitter).

Name

Kikin

Legal name

Kikin Financial Limited

Website

https://kikin.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kikin is a UK fintech that provides AI-powered, non-dilutive invoice financing to SMEs and purpose-led consumer brands, paying supplier invoices upfront with repayment over one to six months.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

SME Lending / Invoice Financing

NAICS

Sales Financing (52222)

SIC

Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Invoice Trading / Receivables Marketplace (P2P) (FSAKAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Merchant-Integrated BNPL (Checkout POS Financing) (FSAGAIAA)

Keywords

• Invoice financing
• SME lending
• Working capital
• ESG lending
• Non-dilutive finance

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Invoice Financing Transaction Fees: Kikin pays supplier invoices upfront on behalf of businesses and collects repayment over 1-6 months. A flat fee is charged per invoice paid, with the fee determined by the customer's credit rating and chosen repayment term. No setup fees, no personal guarantees required, and no equity taken.
2. ESG-Linked Fee Discounts: Companies with B Corp certification, 1% for the Planet accreditation, or verified sustainability commitments receive discounted funding fees (up to 15% discount). This creates both revenue and incentivizes ESG-focused customer acquisition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kikin provides non-dilutive invoice financing to UK-based SMEs and purpose-led businesses. The company pays supplier invoices upfront on behalf of businesses, with repayment over 1-6 months via Direct Debit. The platform uses AI-powered underwriting with open banking and accounting software integrations (Xero, QuickBooks, Clear Books) to deliver credit decisions in 5 minutes. Kikin offers fee discounts of up to 15% for businesses with ESG credentials such as B Corp certification or 1% for the Planet accreditation.

Product overview

Kikin operates as a unified SME lending platform offering equity-free invoice financing through its Kikin.io platform. The core product enables UK-based small to midsize businesses to pay suppliers faster by having Kikin settle invoices upfront, with repayment over 1-6 months. The platform integrates AI-powered underwriting with accounting software (Xero, QuickBooks, Clear Books) for rapid credit decisions. An ESG Discount Program provides fee reductions for businesses with B-Corp certification or other sustainability accreditations. A Split Payments feature allows users to configure multiple payments against individual invoices. The platform is complemented by Direct Debit repayment collection via GoCardless.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kikin.io Platform Equity-free invoice financing platform for UK SMEs that pays supplier invoices upfront and allows repayment over 1-6 months. Features AI-powered underwriting, real-time financial analysis via open banking, and ESG-linked fee discounts for B-Corp certified and sustainability-accredited businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Credit decisions in 5 minutes with full funding within 72 hours
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• XerocoreTechnology or IntegrationXero integration allows Kikin customers to import invoices directly from their Xero account with one click. Invoices up to £1M can be imported, and when Kikin funds an invoice, Xero automatically updates - marking bills as paid and reconciling all inflows and outflows.
• GoCardlesscoreTechnology or IntegrationGoCardless provides Direct Debit infrastructure for automatic repayment collection. When customers add their first invoice, they link their account to Direct Debit via GoCardless, which automatically deducts monthly payments until the full amount is repaid.
• B CorpcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerB Corp certification is a key partner for Kikin's ESG-linked pricing. Businesses with B Corp certification (certified or pending) receive discounted funding fees. Kikin was founded by B Corp certified entrepreneurs who understand the value of impact accreditation.
• 1% for the PlanetcoreGTM or Marketing Partner1% for the Planet accreditation is recognized by Kikin for fee discounts. Businesses that donate to 1% for the Planet qualify for reduced funding rates, aligning Kikin's mission with environmental giving.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MarketFinance: UK-based online invoice financing and business lending platform offering invoice discounting and loans to SMEs; directly comparable to Kikin as a UK fintech lender serving working-capital needs of growing businesses.
• iwoca: UK fintech providing flexible working capital loans and lines of credit to small businesses using proprietary credit decisioning; directly comparable to Kikin's AI-driven, non-dilutive SME lending model.
• YouLend: Revenue-based finance provider offering fast, flexible funding to SMEs and e-commerce sellers via a technology platform; comparable as a UK-focused fintech delivering working capital without equity dilution.
• Uncapped: Revenue-based financing platform for founders and e-commerce brands, offering non-dilutive capital with no personal guarantees; closely comparable to Kikin's invoice-financing-for-startups model and target customer base.
• Wayflyer: Revenue-based financing platform for e-commerce and DTC brands, providing working capital against future revenues; comparable to Kikin as a fintech serving consumer brand working-capital needs through tech-enabled underwriting.
• Clearco: Non-dilutive funding provider for e-commerce and consumer brands, offering revenue-share financing and inventory funding; comparable to Kikin as a fintech lending platform targeted at consumer/DTC brands seeking growth capital.
• Capify: UK-based alternative finance provider offering merchant cash advances and unsecured business loans to SMEs; directly comparable to Kikin as an alternative SME lender in the UK market.
• Sonovate: UK-based fintech providing invoice financing and funding solutions to recruitment agencies and SMEs via a technology platform; comparable as a UK fintech invoice financier using tech-led underwriting for working-capital lending.

Broad incumbents

• Funding Circle: Established UK-listed peer-to-peer / direct lending platform providing loans to small businesses; comparable as a broad incumbent in UK SME lending with overlapping working-capital solutions, but serving a much wider and less purpose-led segment.

Regional players

• Optimum Finance: Welsh/UK-based invoice discounting and factoring provider offering working-capital solutions to SMEs; comparable as a UK invoice financier, with similar geographic roots (Wales) to Kikin but a more traditional, non-AI-led delivery model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/kikin_finance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kikin-finance

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Kikin