SeedBlink Blog

Income is an alternative investment platform and mobile app that allows investors to invest in loans from around the world. They democratize alternative investing through a novel use of technology and by implementing security features previously only available to institutional investors.

The platform was founded in mid-2020 by Kimmo Rytkönen, the co-founder of Tunaiku, Bank Amar's flagship product and Indonesia's leading digital lending brand. Read on for interesting insights such as what sets the platform apart, the role of the team, and how the founders came up with the idea to disrupt this market.

What is happening in the P2P lending segment? What are the main trends?

I have to split the answer a bit. P2P lending and lending to non-banks is booming globally, especially in emerging markets. This is mainly due to the local regulatory environment and the constant need for capital from these lenders. If we look at investments in loans and credit marketplaces, they are also growing rapidly within and outside of Europe. One of the big trends we are seeing is lending companies setting up their own loan marketplaces, where only loans originated by their own companies are listed. I am seeing a bigger trend among retail investors, which is still in its infancy in Europe compared to the US, and I think alternative investments such as loans have an important role to play in getting people to invest and earn.

What problem is Income solving?

The main problem we are solving is fixing the safety issues with investing in loans. In recent years, a lot of investors' money has been put at risk on loan marketplaces and P2P platforms, and we have decided that this needs to be fixed. For me, making investing in loans safe is a top priority, because that's the starting point for a really great investment experience.

Secondly, we could also mention that there are about 8 trillion euros in household bank deposits that are not really yielding anything, and so are actually making people poorer as inflation eats away at the deposits. When we combine the safety with the ease of UX we really get a great investment experience and I think alternative investments like loans can really be the answer to the question of where to keep idle money.

How did you come to found Income and what is your motivation?

Income was founded after my not so pleasant experiences in other marketplaces. As a P2P investor, I felt that the investment experience and security aspects were insufficient, so I came up with the idea of how I could combine my fintech experience with an investment product and make it better.

Entrepreneurship and building something new are the things that motivate me the most. It's really great to see how people use and experience your product.

What makes Income so special? Why you in particular?

It's the security aspects that we have created. There is no other P2P platform or loan marketplace that protects investors as well as we do.

If you had to choose one key feature that you are particularly proud of?

I am very happy with the mobile app we have launched in such a short time. It has brought us closer to our vision of making investing in credit easy and safe. There's still a lot we want to improve, but I think everyone should download the app to see how easy it can be to invest in loans.

Who is on the team and how will you use your previous experience?

The team is already quite large, as you can not really do such a big project without specific legal, technical and financial know-how. You can find some of the key members of the team with their CVs and LinkedIn links on our website (GetIncome.com) in the team section. I think the team has come together well and everyone is using their experience to move Income forward.

Income is currently running a crowdinvesting campaign through SeedBlink. The company is seeking €1.25 million in funding to further develop its service and has already secured 82% of the round (€1.020.000). Explore this investment opportunity.