Firenze, a fintech company, has raised €6.8 million (£6 million) in an oversubscribed funding round led by AlbionVC, with continued participation from Outward VC and Form Ventures.
The company focuses on Lombard lending solutions and plans to use the funding to scale its team and meet growing demand for flexible, asset-backed credit.
What The Company Does
Founded in 2024 by entrepreneur David Newman, Firenze develops an embedded finance platform that enables wealth managers and financial institutions to offer lending services backed by clients’ investment portfolios.
Its platform allows borrowers to access liquidity without selling or transferring their assets, providing a more efficient alternative to traditional lending processes. Loans can often be issued within a short timeframe, offering flexibility for clients who need immediate access to capital.
Lombard lending, the company’s core offering, is a form of secured credit where liquid financial assets such as stocks or bonds are used as collateral. This structure enables borrowers to unlock cash while maintaining their investment positions.
Firenze aims to simplify and expand access to this type of lending, which has historically been limited to high-net-worth individuals, by lowering entry barriers and integrating the service into existing financial platforms.
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Market Context / Industry Background
Demand for alternative lending solutions has been increasing as individuals and businesses seek more flexible ways to access capital without disrupting long-term investment strategies.
At the same time, wealth management platforms are under pressure to diversify their offerings and provide more integrated financial services. Embedded finance is playing a growing role in this shift, allowing institutions to deliver lending products directly within their ecosystems.
Lombard lending remains underutilised outside of private banking, largely due to operational complexity and high entry thresholds. Companies like Firenze are working to address these constraints by digitising the process and making it more accessible to a broader segment of clients.
In addition, increasing digitalisation across financial services is contributing to greater transparency and efficiency in lending processes. Automated risk assessment tools and real-time portfolio monitoring are enabling more responsive credit decisions while maintaining oversight of collateralised assets. As client expectations evolve, there is also growing demand for seamless user experiences that integrate lending into broader financial planning tools. This is encouraging platforms to adopt more flexible and scalable infrastructure that can support a wider range of financial products without significantly increasing operational complexity or cost structures.
Founder / Investor Commentary
David Newman, CEO of Firenze, said that demand for the company’s solution has grown faster than expected, prompting a more ambitious expansion strategy. He noted that the decision to raise additional capital reflects the need to accelerate development and scale operations in response to market interest.
He also highlighted the importance of aligning with investors who share a long-term vision, pointing to AlbionVC’s role in supporting the company’s next phase of growth, alongside continued backing from existing investors.
Growth Plans / Use Of Funds
The newly raised capital will be used to expand Firenze’s team and scale its platform across a wider network of partners. The company also plans to broaden its product offering and enhance its software capabilities for financial institutions.
This includes the development of new tools such as an automated credit structuring system, as well as further expansion into additional markets. These efforts are intended to strengthen Firenze’s position as a provider of embedded lending infrastructure.
About Firenze
Firenze is a fintech company focused on modernising Lombard lending through embedded finance solutions. Founded in 2024 and headquartered in Manchester, the company enables wealth managers, advisers, and investment platforms to offer investment-backed loans without requiring clients to move their assets. Its mission is to make this form of lending more accessible beyond traditional high-net-worth segments.
