Latest news with #Begini
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Microsmart and Begini partner to boost microfinance access for Greek MSMEs
LONDON, May 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Microsmart SA, Greece's first decentralized microfinance institution, has partnered with alternative data fintech Begini to unlock fast, fair, and accessible financing for micro and small businesses across the country. With MSMEs making up 99% of all Greek businesses, this partnership marks a significant step forward in closing the credit gap for underserved entrepreneurs. Backed by national regulators, Microsmart sought innovative tools to extend credit responsibly to Greece's smallest businesses, often excluded by traditional banks due to a lack of formal credit history. To meet this challenge, Microsmart integrated Begini's psychometric credit assessment into its digital lending flow. The solution, which generates predictive first-party credit data without requiring financial or personal records, was deployed in just two working days. In the six months following implementation, Microsmart reported a 90% increase in monthly lending volumes and a <95% completion rate for applicants—a strong signal of both appetite and accessibility. "Microcredit is a modern development tool. Our work with Begini helps remove long-standing barriers to finance by combining speed with fair risk assessment," said Neoklis Stamkos, CEO of Microsmart SA. "We are proud to help entrepreneurs across Greece turn their ambitions into action, without the friction of traditional banking." "Microsmart's leadership in microfinance made them the ideal partner for our alternative credit technology," said James Hume, CEO of Begini. "Together, we're proving that simple, behavioural insights can drive financial inclusion at scale, safely, affordably, and in days, not months." As Greece continues to rebuild and grow its small business sector, Microsmart and Begini are demonstrating that digital-first, human-centred credit solutions can have a meaningful impact on real-world outcomes for underserved communities. About Begini Begini provides scientifically-validated, privacy-consented behavioural analytics to help financial institutions assess credit risk, detect fraud, and segment customers. Learn more: View source version on Contacts Investor & Media contact: Alison Cheek, communications@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Associated Press
27-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Microsmart and Begini partner to boost microfinance access for Greek MSMEs
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 27, 2025-- Microsmart SA, Greece's first decentralized microfinance institution, has partnered with alternative data fintech Begini to unlock fast, fair, and accessible financing for micro and small businesses across the country. With MSMEs making up 99% of all Greek businesses, this partnership marks a significant step forward in closing the credit gap for underserved entrepreneurs. Backed by national regulators, Microsmart sought innovative tools to extend credit responsibly to Greece's smallest businesses, often excluded by traditional banks due to a lack of formal credit history. To meet this challenge, Microsmart integrated Begini's psychometric credit assessment into its digital lending flow. The solution, which generates predictive first-party credit data without requiring financial or personal records, was deployed in just two working days. In the six months following implementation, Microsmart reported a 90% increase in monthly lending volumes and a <95% completion rate for applicants—a strong signal of both appetite and accessibility. 'Microcredit is a modern development tool. Our work with Begini helps remove long-standing barriers to finance by combining speed with fair risk assessment,' said Neoklis Stamkos, CEO of Microsmart SA. 'We are proud to help entrepreneurs across Greece turn their ambitions into action, without the friction of traditional banking.' 'Microsmart's leadership in microfinance made them the ideal partner for our alternative credit technology,' said James Hume, CEO of Begini. 'Together, we're proving that simple, behavioural insights can drive financial inclusion at scale, safely, affordably, and in days, not months.' As Greece continues to rebuild and grow its small business sector, Microsmart and Begini are demonstrating that digital-first, human-centred credit solutions can have a meaningful impact on real-world outcomes for underserved communities. About Begini Begini provides scientifically-validated, privacy-consented behavioural analytics to help financial institutions assess credit risk, detect fraud, and segment customers. Learn more: View source version on Investor & Media contact: Alison Cheek,[email protected] KEYWORD: EUROPE IRELAND UNITED KINGDOM GREECE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: DATA ANALYTICS FINANCE BANKING DATA MANAGEMENT SMALL BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TECHNOLOGY FINTECH SOURCE: Begini Copyright Business Wire 2025. PUB: 05/27/2025 12:21 AM/DISC: 05/27/2025 12:21 AM
Business Wire
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Microsmart and Begini partner to boost microfinance access for Greek MSMEs
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Microsmart SA, Greece's first decentralized microfinance institution, has partnered with alternative data fintech Begini to unlock fast, fair, and accessible financing for micro and small businesses across the country. With MSMEs making up 99% of all Greek businesses, this partnership marks a significant step forward in closing the credit gap for underserved entrepreneurs. 'Microcredit is a modern development tool. Our work with Begini helps remove long-standing barriers to finance by combining speed with fair risk assessment,' said Neoklis Stamkos, CEO of Microsmart SA. Share Backed by national regulators, Microsmart sought innovative tools to extend credit responsibly to Greece's smallest businesses, often excluded by traditional banks due to a lack of formal credit history. To meet this challenge, Microsmart integrated Begini's psychometric credit assessment into its digital lending flow. The solution, which generates predictive first-party credit data without requiring financial or personal records, was deployed in just two working days. In the six months following implementation, Microsmart reported a 90% increase in monthly lending volumes and a <95% completion rate for applicants—a strong signal of both appetite and accessibility. 'Microcredit is a modern development tool. Our work with Begini helps remove long-standing barriers to finance by combining speed with fair risk assessment,' said Neoklis Stamkos, CEO of Microsmart SA. 'We are proud to help entrepreneurs across Greece turn their ambitions into action, without the friction of traditional banking.' 'Microsmart's leadership in microfinance made them the ideal partner for our alternative credit technology,' said James Hume, CEO of Begini. 'Together, we're proving that simple, behavioural insights can drive financial inclusion at scale, safely, affordably, and in days, not months.' As Greece continues to rebuild and grow its small business sector, Microsmart and Begini are demonstrating that digital-first, human-centred credit solutions can have a meaningful impact on real-world outcomes for underserved communities. About Begini Begini provides scientifically-validated, privacy-consented behavioural analytics to help financial institutions assess credit risk, detect fraud, and segment customers.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Microsmart and Begini partner to boost microfinance access for Greek MSMEs
LONDON, May 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Microsmart SA, Greece's first decentralized microfinance institution, has partnered with alternative data fintech Begini to unlock fast, fair, and accessible financing for micro and small businesses across the country. With MSMEs making up 99% of all Greek businesses, this partnership marks a significant step forward in closing the credit gap for underserved entrepreneurs. Backed by national regulators, Microsmart sought innovative tools to extend credit responsibly to Greece's smallest businesses, often excluded by traditional banks due to a lack of formal credit history. To meet this challenge, Microsmart integrated Begini's psychometric credit assessment into its digital lending flow. The solution, which generates predictive first-party credit data without requiring financial or personal records, was deployed in just two working days. In the six months following implementation, Microsmart reported a 90% increase in monthly lending volumes and a <95% completion rate for applicants—a strong signal of both appetite and accessibility. "Microcredit is a modern development tool. Our work with Begini helps remove long-standing barriers to finance by combining speed with fair risk assessment," said Neoklis Stamkos, CEO of Microsmart SA. "We are proud to help entrepreneurs across Greece turn their ambitions into action, without the friction of traditional banking." "Microsmart's leadership in microfinance made them the ideal partner for our alternative credit technology," said James Hume, CEO of Begini. "Together, we're proving that simple, behavioural insights can drive financial inclusion at scale, safely, affordably, and in days, not months." As Greece continues to rebuild and grow its small business sector, Microsmart and Begini are demonstrating that digital-first, human-centred credit solutions can have a meaningful impact on real-world outcomes for underserved communities. About Begini Begini provides scientifically-validated, privacy-consented behavioural analytics to help financial institutions assess credit risk, detect fraud, and segment customers. Learn more: View source version on Contacts Investor & Media contact: Alison Cheek, communications@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
02-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Begini and Bank of Punjab Join Forces on SME Credit Access Initiative in Pakistan
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Begini, a global provider of behavioural and data analytics for financial decisioning, has launched a strategic partnership with the Bank of Punjab (BOP), one of the largest commercial banks in Pakistan, to support the launch of the CM Punjab Asaan Karobar Card initiative – the country's largest SME credit card lending program. The solution went live in under two weeks and has already processed over 1 million assessments in just eight weeks, a signal of both product-market fit and operational scalability. Designed to expand access to credit in one of the world's most underserved markets, the program is powered by an end-to-end digital lending platform, offering a seamless, scalable solution for financially empowering small and micro enterprises across Punjab. Pakistan's 5.2 million SMEs generate 40% of GDP and employ more than 80% of the non-agricultural workforce, yet the vast majority lack access to formal finance. The partnership addresses this long-standing challenge using Begini's first-party, opt-in behavioural insights and psychometric scoring, enabling lenders to confidently assess businesses with little or no traditional financial history. The solution went live in under two weeks and has already processed over 1 million assessments in just eight weeks, a signal of both product-market fit and operational scalability. 'This partnership validates Begini's ability to drive financial inclusion at scale, with speed and precision,' said James Hume, CEO of Begini. 'Our behavioural data solutions unlock risk insights where conventional data falls short.' 'In light of Government of the Punjab's topmost priority in generating economic activity through encouraging small-scale businesses, this is a game changer program by BOP under the strengthened focus of the State Bank of Pakistan on expanding SME financing,' said Nofel Daud, Chief Digital Officer at BOP. 'The use of Begini's online behavioural assessment tool adds real value—allowing seamless, low-documentation evaluations that make the program both scalable and accessible for underserved small businesses.' A Scalable Model for Emerging Markets With operations in 16 countries and solutions available in over 10 languages, Begini's platform is designed to thrive in low-data, high-potential environments. The company's SaaS model, combined with fast deployment, ensures rapid adoption and ROI for financial institutions targeting the underserved. This partnership demonstrates Begini's capacity to unlock new lending segments, creating value for banks, governments, and millions of excluded entrepreneurs. About Begini Begini provides scientifically-validated, privacy-consented behavioural analytics to help financial institutions assess credit risk, detect fraud, and segment customers.
