CREDITSHELF SIGNS NEW SECURED FINANCING FACILITY AND CONFIRMS PROFITABILITY FOR THE  2022 FISCAL YEAR

• creditshelf sources up to EUR 100 million of secured financing for SME loans
• Addition of new financing source enables creditshelf to continue targeted growth path
• EBIT forecast for 2022 confirmed
• creditshelf to explore strategic options following closing of this transaction

Frankfurt am Main, November 8, 2022 – creditshelf, Germany’s next generations’ corporate financier, has entered into an additional secured financing facility. As part of the transaction, Goldman Sachs will provide up to EUR 100 million of secured funding for loans originated by creditshelf through its lending platform, supporting the needs of German SMEs.

The transaction will further strengthen creditshelf’s position as the largest non-bank financier of German SMEs. The German fintech will manage the credit value chain of all loans originated on its platform – from customer acquisition to risk analysis and loan structuring to loan servicing – while Goldman Sachs will provide secured debt financing against the loans.

Dr. Daniel Bartsch, creditshelf’s CFO, explains: "The transaction makes us very proud and is a great success for our corporate development. The additional funding source is an essential component of our growth strategy, enabling us to meet the ever-increasing loan demand of our SME client base."

Although these funds can be used immediately and support creditshelf's growth strategy, based on the new business expected for the remaining weeks of the 2022 financial year and the associated fees, the revenue forecast has been adjusted downwards from the previous EUR 10-12m to EUR 7-8m. Due to rigorous cost management, the EBIT is still expected to be between EUR 0-1m.

Following the successful closing of the new funding source, creditshelf sees significant opportunities to accelerate its growth. creditshelf has engaged Alantra, who also acted as arranger of the above-mentioned facility, as its financial advisor to perform a review of strategic options including the possibility for creditshelf to act as principal investor in newly originated loans. At present, there can be no certainty the review will lead to any change in strategy or a transaction, which could, where required by the company’s Articles of Association and applicable law, also be subject to the prior approval of the Board and the company’s shareholders.

ABOUT CREDITSHELF

creditshelf is next generations’ digital corporate financier. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, the company arranges bank-independent, flexible financing solutions via its constantly growing network. creditshelf caters to complementary needs: SME entrepreneurs gain easy access to attractive alternative financing solutions, institutional investors can invest directly in German SMEs, and the company’s partners can support their clients as innovative providers of new credit solutions. creditshelf's business model revolves around its unique, data-driven risk analysis and unbureaucratic, fast digital processes. creditshelf covers the entire value chain: Its platform is used to select suitable credit projects, analyze potential borrowers’ credit quality, perform credit scoring, and price risk adequately. The company receives fees from both borrowers and investors for these services.

creditshelf has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange’s Prime Standard segment since 2018. The experts making up its team have many years’ experience of SME financing and are trusted partners and visionaries for building tomorrow’s businesses.

Alantra Corporate Portfolio Advisors International Limited