For two years, Orca has been providing market-leading research on the peer to peer lending (P2P) sector. Their data-driven analyses and insights have supported retail investors in their due diligence of the market. In March 2018, Orca extended its services, allowing investors to research, invest, build and manage portfolios across the P2P market. Investors earn returns, diversify risk and save time.

Market growth causes problems

The P2P lending market has grown at an impressive rate, with over £12 billion cumulatively lent across platforms since the asset class was created in 2005; £4 billion of which was in 2017. Moreover, the landscape has grown to over 30 P2P lending platforms in the UK, all vying for the attention of retail investors, with specific, often niche investment products. This has created a complex and fragmented market.

People find it difficult to invest

Investors currently invest directly on P2P platforms. They are required to research the overall market, individual P2P platforms and the specific type of lending the platforms offer. If they are time poor they are likely to invest through one P2P platform, leaving them exposed to this platform and the type of lending that it offers.

Enthusiastic investors aiming to diversify their risk invest across multiple P2P platforms and have to juggle multiple logins. Portfolio management and monitoring within the sector is therefore time-consuming and painful.

P2P platforms find it challenging to acquire investors

P2P platforms are competing for a limited pool of retail investors. Orca operates a differentiated product in a growing market which provides P2P platforms with a source of retail investors.

Aggregation is the next logical step

Responding to these problems, the Orca Investment Platform was born. The aggregator platform allows people to invest across multiple P2P platforms, lending sectors and a large number of borrowers with confidence, ease and efficiency. People can deposit funds, build portfolios and monitor their investments. This service reduces risk through diversification, delivers attractive returns and provides easy access to the market.

Seedrs campaign

Now, Orca is seeking the support of the community to build their business further. With the fundraise on Seedrs, Orca will address a number of strategic objectives:

• Grow the customer base
• Integrate with more lenders
• Enhance product features
• Further develop Orca’s research service
• Build the product for European expansion

Iain Niblock, CEO of Orca said: “We believe that aggregation is the next logical step for alternative lending. We are concentrating on developing our product to deliver greater value to our customer-base. This includes integrating with more lenders. We’re excited for the road ahead and encourage people to come and join the Pod!”

People can invest in Orca from £10.