Look&Fin

About Look&Fin

Look&Fin operates as a peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform facilitating connections between investors and established Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) seeking financing. Founded in 2012 by Frédéric Lévy Morelle, the Brussels-based company was established to address a gap in the market for non-bank credit solutions for businesses. Lévy Morelle, a graduate of the Solvay Brussels School with a background in finance and investment management, identified the potential for a crowdlending model inspired by the success of similar platforms in other markets.

The company serves a specific niche of SMEs, requiring businesses to have a minimum turnover of €1 million and at least three years of filed accounting records to apply for loans. This selective approach targets mature companies in need of financing for various purposes, including growth initiatives, working capital, and real estate projects. The platform operates in Belgium, France, and Luxembourg, with a significant focus on the real estate sector, including property developers and merchants of goods operations. Loan amounts available to businesses range from €50,000 to €5,000,000.

Look&Fin's business model is based on intermediation. The company generates revenue by taking a commission on the loans it facilitates, connecting businesses with a pool of retail and institutional investors. For investors, the platform offers the opportunity to lend directly to these vetted companies, earning returns that typically range from 4% to 12%, depending on the risk profile of the loan. The company provides detailed financial information and an objective analysis for each project to help investors make informed decisions. To mitigate risk, some loans are structured with insurance coverage or other forms of collateral.

Since its inception, Look&Fin has facilitated the financing of hundreds of projects, raising significant capital. For instance, in 2023, the platform mobilized €76 million across 170 investment opportunities. The firm has itself raised external capital to fuel its growth, including a Series B funding round of $6.63 million in October 2019, led by finance & invest.brussels. This has supported the company's technological development, with a goal of providing near-instant, fully digital credit access for SMEs.