Latest opinions that Katherine Chan has shared on Finextra

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Katherine Chan

CEO

Juice

Member since

05 Nov 2024

Location

London

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Katherine's opinions

Beyond the Optics: Why Inclusion in Fintech Needs More Than a Policy

I’ve always believed that strong businesses are built by strong teams. Yet even in 2025, the tech and fintech sectors are losing talent faster than they can replace it; a reality that’s costing the UK billions and holding back long-term growth. According to the UK Government’s latest tech diversity report, women make up just 21 percent of tech ro...

27 August 2025 /startups /inclusion Financial Inclusion

Finance that fits: what SMEs really need from credit in 2025

SME lending is back in the headlines. In the first quarter of 2025, UK high-street banks issued billions in new loans, supported by expanded government schemes and renewed interest in business credit. On paper, the recovery looks strong. But in practice, many founders still find themselves working around finance rather than with it. During the yea...

27 June 2025 /startups /inclusion Fintech innovation and startups

5 Uncomfortable Truths About SME Lending in 2025

Small businesses do the heavy lifting, but fair access to finance is still out of reach for many. In 2024, gross lending rose 13% to just over £16 billion (UK Finance). But repayments outpaced new loans, leaving a funding gap that hasn’t closed. Debt levels have more than doubled since before the pandemic (OECD, 2024). Many firms now carry liabilit...

23 June 2025 /startups /inclusion Fintech

Scaling in a high-cost world: How SME founders are adapting

In 2025, scaling a business requires more than ambition—it demands precision. Founders are operating in a climate shaped by persistent inflation, tighter margins, and increasingly complex supply chains. While UK inflation eased to 2.6% in March (ONS, 2025), the cumulative impact of high input costs and shifting trade dynamics is still being felt ...

14 May 2025 /startups /predictions Fintech innovation and startups

Navigating Tariffs and Turbulence: A 2025 Guide for SME Founders

If you’re an SME founder trying to plan your next inventory order or marketing push, chances are you’ve felt the pressure of a shifting global trade landscape. The latest US tariff hikes, introduced in April 2025, are already sending ripple effects across supply chains — with up to 50% tariffs now applying to goods from over 60 countries. For foun...

25 April 2025 /startups /inclusion Fintech innovation and startups

What Founders Should Expect from Lenders in 2025

Some lenders are quietly becoming obsolete. In 2025, founders no longer tolerate 6-week approval timelines, rigid credit models, or hidden fees buried in legalese. The pace of business has changed, and the lenders who don’t keep up risk being left behind. This shift isn’t just anecdotal, it’s playing out in the numbers. UK SME lending volumes have...

04 April 2025 /startups /inclusion Fintech innovation and startups

From Survival to Scale – How Fintech is Transforming SME Growth Post-Crisis

For SMEs, access to capital has never been a simple issue, but given the current economic climate, the state is even worse. Lenders are still risk-averse, macro economics are uncertain and inflation is raising operating costs. While many companies struggled to survive the post-pandemic era, now the question comes: how do they scale? Having worked...

28 March 2025 /startups /inclusion Fintech innovation and startups

The Real Cost of Financial Exclusion: Why It’s a Business Problem, Not Just a Social Issue

Financial exclusion is not just a social issue, it's an economic waste. SMEs are the backbone of the global economies, yet too many of them find it hard to access capital, not for lack of potential, but because mainstream financial systems are not structured to serve them. Adam Smith, in The Wealth of Nations, wrote: "It is not from the bene...

07 March 2025 /startups /inclusion Fintech

Why non-dilutive funding is the future for SMEs?

Early 2025 in the British economic landscape is a complex one for SMEs. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has adjusted its forecast of UK GDP growth to 1.7% this year, highlighting cautious optimism in light of ongoing global uncertainties. While financial inclusion has been a core fintech mission, many SMEs, most ...

28 February 2025 /startups /inclusion Fintech

Financial Inclusion in 2025: Will Fintech Finally Close the Gaps?

Financial inclusion has been a fintech buzzword for years, yet 2025 appears to be the one year where we finally see real momentum… or maybe not. As governments, banks, and fintechs try out various methods of plugging financial gaps, the question is: are we really heading in the right direction? Throughout the UK, policymakers have made financia...

21 February 2025 /startups /inclusion Fintech