All-in-one card Curve is bidding for £10 million from the RBS bail out fund as it prepares to move into the small business market.
The company is planning to roll out two new products catering to the special needs of small business owners, including the ability to share a single card with multiple members of staff and access to short-term financing opportunities to smooth cash flow problems.
If awarded, Curve says it will match the £10 million grant from BCR Capability and Innovation Fund and hire 75 new staff to work on the products, with a release date set for some time in 2021.
Curve COO Nathalie Oestmann says: “This BCR grant would mean 75 new full-time jobs, a quarter of which will be outside London, and more than 20 of which will be for people at the start of their careers. If we are successful in our application, we are determined to work closely with SMEs to maximise the opportunities and create customer-focused products that best serve the needs of business in these challenging times.”