NEW YORK & LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--i80 Group (“i80”), an investment firm that specializes in providing credit solutions to growth companies, today announced that it has expanded into Europe with the opening of a new office in London and has hired Nils Schaffner as a Director on its investment team where he will be focused on sourcing and executing future investments in the UK and Europe.
Mr. Schaffner brings more than two decades of experience in the technology, media and telecom industry to i80, and possesses extensive experience and expertise serving as a strategic partner to early-stage UK and European fintech companies to help them successfully grow and execute against their business plans. Before joining i80, he most recently led the Fintech and Specialty Finance team for NIBC Bank in the UK, where he was responsible for receivable financing and asset-based lending to non-bank and digital lenders such as Iwoca, Ebury Partners, Tabeo and LendingCrowd amongst others. Prior to NIBC, Mr. Schaffner served as an Investment Committee Observer at Outward VC, a venture capital fund backing the next generation of European fintech and enterprise technology. Earlier in his career, he held positions in private equity and investment banking.
Marc Helwani, Founder and Chief Investment Officer at i80 Group, said “The UK and European ecosystems have developed rapidly in recent years, driven in part by innovation and a supportive business environment. From our vantage point, given the recent banking dislocation, now is the perfect time to expand our presence abroad as companies are seeking financing options beyond traditional banks. Given our experience and expertise partnering with growth-stage companies, we believe we are well suited to help founders and management teams achieve their long-term goals via flexible and creative solutions.”
Nils Schaffner, Director, i80 Group, added, “The funding gap in the UK and Europe is only set to grow in the current climate. i80’s expertise and proven track record of providing innovative companies with relevant financing solutions as well as an extensive network of valuable contacts to help them take their companies to the next level is compelling. I am excited to have the opportunity to help expand the firm’s presence into the UK and Europe.”
i80 Group has committed more than $2 billion in financing to over twenty-five companies since its inception.
About i80 Group
i80 Group is an investment firm designed to propel the innovation economy forward by empowering growth. The firm provides bespoke financing solutions that are unique to each investment partner's needs and are designed to help companies advance through critical growth milestones. The firm has offices in New York, San Francisco, and London. For more information, please visit www.i80group.com.
