creditshelf cooperates with finleap and plans to extend its activities through the acquisition of Valendo GmbH via capital increase by means of contribution in kind in creditshelf Aktiengesellschaft

• Planned cooperation fits to all three pillars of creditshelf‘s strategy
• Goals are expansion of cooperations network with Europe’s leading fintech ecosystem, extended product offering for creditshelf customers with the specialist for secured financings Valendo GmbH and extension of risk analysis and monitoring tools
• finleap new shareholder after closing of transaction
• Significant growth potential for Valendo GmbH under the roof of creditshelf

Frankfurt am Main/ Berlin, 19 June 2019 – creditshelf Aktiengesellschaft, a pioneer in the field of digital SME financing in Germany, has laid the foundation for a cooperation with finleap, Europe’s leading fintech ecosystem. With today’s signing of a legally nonbinding letter of intent, creditshelf envisages the acquisition of Valendo GmbH, a specialist of technology-based secured financing for small and medium sized companies (SMEs) from the finleap portfolio. This acquisition allows creditshelf to extend its financing options and risk analysis tools with smart secured financing solutions, while Valendo has significant growth potential under the roof of creditshelf.

The planned acquisition of the Valendo GmbH allows creditshelf to extend its risk analysis and monitoring tools and to expand its SME product offering, in particular to secured products. To date, creditshelf focusses on predominantly unsecured loans between 100,000 and 5 million EUR and a tenor of up to 5 years. Valendo is the smart secured financing solution for growing SMEs. Trade focussed companies, which require liquidity for further growth, can use their collateral with Valendo to receive a loan between 500,000 and 5 million EUR. Valendo offers financing partners technology-based services in the areas of risk management and loan servicing.

The parties envisage to finalise the acquisition of the Valendo GmbH in the second half of 2019. The purchase price becomes due in 2 tranches, whereas tranche 2 is subject to certain milestones to be met. creditshelf Aktiengesellschaft has the option to settle the purchase price via two share capital increases in kind against issuances of new shares. The two capital increases by means of contribution in kind shall be issued by creditshelf Aktiengesellschaft making use of its existing authorized share capital excluding any subscription rights of creditshelf’s existing shareholders.

Dr. Tim Thabe, CEO of creditshelf, comments on the cooperation: “We are very happy to extend our product offering in SME financing with Valendo. Valendo and creditshelf have a lot in common: Both have similar target groups, have technology-based business models and offer fast and customer-oriented services. Valendo’s offerings for secured financing solutions and risk management services are a very good addition to our existing product portfolio. I am also looking forward to having a new shareholder with finleap.”

John v. Berenberg-Consbruch, Director Valendo, adds: “With creditshelf, we have found a partner who shares our understanding and believe in technology for financing SME´s. Together, we can further expand our technology and financing product and offer it to a broader range of customers. On top of that, we will develop further offerings in close cooperation with the finleap ecosystem from our Base in Berlin.”