Lovey, a British FinTech and financial services provider specialising in SME lending and brokerage, has today announced a senior secured credit facility of up to €298 million (£250 million) with Pollen Street Capital, an alternative asset manager.
The facility is made up of €59 million (£50 million) committed capital and a €238 million (£200 million) accordion to continue Lovey’s focus on SME and startup funding. The facility will increase Lovey’s lending capacity as it scales its own-book lending.
Jack Smith, Founder and CEO at Lovey, says: “This new facility is an important milestone for us and will enable us to put more capital behind UK small businesses, scale our own-book lending and give more SMEs access to finance when they need it. Pollen Street shares our belief that finances for small businesses should be simpler, faster and more flexible, and we’re really pleased to have them backing Lovey for this next stage of growth.”
Lovey’s financing follows several comparable European lending announcements in 2026.
In France, Paris-based Aria launched a €240 million debt facility to expand invoice financing, while Lithuania’s InSoil secured €120 million from Pollen Street Capital to increase lending to agricultural SMEs.
In the UK, London-based equipal announced a €17 million forward-flow facility for equipment financing, while specialist consumer lender Plend obtained a facility of up to €58.3 million.
Together with Lovey’s agreement, these financing arrangements represent approximately €733 million in announced credit capacity, including expandable facilities rather than solely committed or drawn funding.
EU-Startups also covered Pollen Street’s participation in Ferovinum’s €468 million asset-backed securitisation in 2025.
Kai Hunter, Chief Operating Officer at Lovey, adds: “The funding announced today is the result of close and collaborative work with Pollen Street and I am grateful to their team, and to our own, for the diligence they brought to it. This funding deepens our lending capacity and allows us to offer larger loans, so that we can back more of the UK’s small and medium-sized businesses, from those that have found finance hardest to secure to the well-established, with greater speed and certainty.”
Founded by Jack Smith in 2016, Lovey has grown from a one-person startup into a 120-strong business, funding more than €717 million (£600 million) in loans to over 11,000 UK SMEs.
Lovey began lending directly from its own balance sheet in 2022, building on its experience as a broker to develop a deeper understanding of the funding needs of UK SMEs. Today, the business combines direct lending with its established brokerage proposition, giving customers access to both Lovey’s own lending and a wider panel of funding partners.
Today’s facility builds on Lovey’s existing funding arrangements announced last year, including a €41 million (£35 million) revolving credit facility from Paragon Bank and a €11 million (£10 million) junior medium-term note programme from LGB Capital Markets.
Ethan Saggu, Investment Director, Pollen Street, says: “Lovey has spent almost a decade seeing the UK SME lending market from a broker’s perspective, giving the team an expert view of where demand for credit is going unmet. We have financed a number of specialist SME lenders and recognise what it takes to grow from brokerage into balance-sheet lending. Lovey has done so with a well-defined product and a focused approach, and we look forward to supporting the team as it scales.”
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