FirstPartyCapital, a leading early stage investment fund in the ad tech, martech, and digital media sector, today announced the launch of FirstPartyFinance, which tackles the industry-wide challenge of restricted access to non-dilutive funding.
FirstPartyFinance
An over-reliance on equity funding and lack of understanding from traditional lenders is limiting innovation in the UK adtech sector, and reinforcing the dominance of large DSPs and platforms in the market.
FirstPartyFinance has been created to readdress the balance, providing access to the private credit market, enabling founders to scale without giving away additional equity to finance their company’s working capital requirements.
FirstPartyFinance aims to facilitate improved cashflow throughout the supply chain, enabling tech vendors and media owners to invest with more confidence, weaponising finance in a way that propels positive innovation across the ecosystem.
Headed up by James Ryall, an experienced operations leader with a wealth of knowledge in the adtech and fintech spaces, FirstPartyFinance benefits from the unmatched industry expertise and connections of the FirstPartyCapital and FirstPartyStudio teams, becoming the third business in a tri-pillar support model for ad tech businesses:
- FirstPartyCapital: early stage equity investment in high-growth ad tech companies.
- FirstPartyStudio: strategic incubation, consulting, and operational support.
- FirstPartyFinance: access to non-dilutive financing products tailored specifically to the adtech/media industry.
“Financing has become a bottleneck in adtech,” said James Ryall, Chief Operations Officer at FirstPartyFinance.
“By sourcing tailored debt support, FirstPartyFinance empowers companies to seize growth without sacrificing ownership. This isn’t a nice-to-have: it’s a vital need for innovative businesses to succeed and drive progress in the industry.”
Open to businesses both inside and outside the FirstPartyCapital portfolio, FirstPartyFinance is supported by a leading US financial institution, along with backing from FirstPartyCapital’s global network of family offices and private investors.
This mix of highly-focused expert insight and ample cash flow will enable the business to operate across multiple regions including the UK, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Brazil despite differing global regulatory requirements.
Rich Ashton, Managing Partner at FirstPartyCapital, added: “Speeding up payment cycles isn’t just operational, it’s strategic. We’re equipping publishers and vendors with the liquidity they need to compete and innovate.
“Now is a time of flux for the adtech ecosystem, with a unique combination of regulatory changes, technological advances, and economic uncertainty driving change in the market.
“We’re proud to continue innovating in the market to support the up-and-comers that are crucial to adtech’s continued longevity.”