MarketInvoice

MarketInvoice, now known as Kriya, develops financial technology solutions optimizing working capital and payment flexibility for businesses. Its core offering is invoice finance, enabling firms to convert unpaid invoices into immediate funds. This complements business lending and B2B 'Buy Now, Pay Later' options, providing integrated digital products for efficient cash flow management.

Established in January 2011 by Anil Stocker and Ilya Kondrashov, the company’s insight addressed prevalent cash flow challenges faced by businesses awaiting invoice payments. They created an online marketplace for companies to sell invoices for instant funds, directly tackling a critical operational finance need for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Kriya serves small and medium-sized enterprises and UK entrepreneurs seeking agile financial instruments. Its central mission removes financial friction from accessing credit and managing payments for businesses and partners, aiming to empower growth through innovative, accessible financing solutions.

High-Level Overview

MarketInvoice, now operating as part of Kriya (formerly MarketFinance), is a UK-based fintech company founded in 2011 that provides invoice financing, business loans, lines of credit, and embedded finance solutions like PayLater to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).[1][2][3] It enables businesses to sell unpaid invoices for immediate cash flow, bridging gaps while awaiting customer payments, and has advanced over £4 billion in credit to UK SMEs, serving entrepreneurs needing quick working capital without traditional delays.[1][2][3] The platform connects businesses with institutional investors, integrates with accounting software like Xero, and offers flexible terms with no minimum/maximum invoice sizes, solving cash flow challenges for growth-stage companies.[3]

By 2025, following rebrands and product expansions, it powers B2B payments for partners like Halfords and Stripe, with embedded PayLater allowing deferred checkout terms to boost sales.[2]

Origin Story

MarketInvoice was founded in 2011 by Anil Stocker (CEO), alongside co-founders Charles Delingpole and Ilya Kondrashov, whom he met at Cambridge University.[1][2][5] Stocker, from a financial services background, spotted the cash flow bottleneck for SMEs waiting on large invoices from blue-chip clients, launching the UK's first online invoice marketplace to fund them via institutional investors.[1][3] Early traction came in 2013 when the British Business Bank began funding through the platform; by 2015, it secured its first venture capital round.[2]

Pivotal moments included a 2019 £56 million Series B led by Barclays and Santander InnoVentures (valuing it at ~£85 million), fueling expansion,[1][4] followed by rebrands to MarketFinance in 2019 for broader lending and Kriya later, with launches of loans (2017-2018) and PayLater (2022).[2] In October 2025, Allica Bank acquired 100% of Kriya, integrating its tech into digital banking for established businesses.[2]

Core Differentiators

• Digital-first invoice financing: Businesses upload invoices for rapid verification and funding (up to 100% value) from a network of investors, bypassing sales ledger setups and traditional waits, with seamless integrations (e.g., Xero, PwC, KPMG).[1][3]
• Product breadth: Beyond invoices, offers unsecured loans, lines of credit, and embedded PayLater for B2B checkouts (e.g., Stripe integration), enabling deferred payments to drive 5x higher order values.[2][3]
• Speed and flexibility: No invoice size limits, global customer coverage, transparent fees without hidden costs, and quick cash access—funded over £4 billion, hitting records like £161.9 million in Q2 2017.[2][5]
• Partnership ecosystem: Backed by British Business Bank, Barclays, Santander; powers trade credit for Halfords and Stripe, with strong customer service reputation.[2][3][4]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

MarketInvoice rides the embedded finance wave in UK fintech, where SMEs—92% aware of its revenue-boosting potential—demand flexible B2B payments amid multichannel e-commerce growth.[2][7] Timing aligns with post-Brexit SME funding gaps and digital banking shifts, as banks partner with fintechs like it for disruptive lending (e.g., Barclays' leads program).[1][4] It influences the ecosystem by accelerating £4 billion in SME credit, enabling exports and scaling, while integrations with Stripe and Halfords embed its tech into commerce platforms, normalizing "Pay with Kriya" for deferred terms.[2]

Market forces like rising BNPL adoption (despite 3-year lag in B2B rollout) and Allica Bank's 2025 acquisition position it to deepen SME-digital bank synergies.[2][7]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Post-Allica acquisition, Kriya (including MarketInvoice) will likely integrate deeper into challenger banking, expanding embedded PayLater across more merchants and channels via tools like the Kriya Merchant Portal.[2][7] Trends like multichannel B2B commerce and AI-driven credit will shape it, potentially scaling beyond £4 billion in lending amid UK SME revenue pressures.[2][7] Its influence may evolve from standalone fintech to core infrastructure for SME finance, powering growth in a fragmented market—echoing its founding mission to eradicate cash flow barriers for UK entrepreneurs.[1]