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Iwoca has found that female applicants are 18% more likely to repay small business loans on time than their male counterparts. Women-led small businesses make up an estimated 20% of iwoca’s customers and it has supported an estimated 2,400 women business owners in the UK with almost £50 million in lending since its launch in 2012.

iwoca uncovered the data in response to a study by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), which found that a quarter of female small business owners cite the ability to access traditional funding channels as a key challenge, with many relying on alternative sources, such as crowdfunding, personal cash and credit, for growth.

While this technology-driven risk platform draws on thousands of data points to make credit decisions, gender is not included. iwoca’s data scientists were able to calculate gender-based statistics on loan repayment rates by checking customer application forms for self-identified female titles and then comparing the approximate default rates for both cohorts.

Christoph Rieche, Co-founder and CEO of iwoca, said: “More can be done to narrow the entrepreneurial gender gap in the UK. Making it easier for women to access business funding would go a long way to achieving that. Sadly, the reality is that banks are withdrawing critical finance from across the entire small business sector and unless the Government takes action to encourage greater competition that will allow alternative providers to fill the hole, women will continue to be at a greater disadvantage from an unfair system, regardless of their higher propensity to repay on time.”

(Source: iwoca)

Deloitte explores the rapid evolution of business technology in its eighth annual technology report, "Tech Trends 2017: The Kinetic Enterprise." Released last week, the report describes how companies presently must sift through the promotional noise and hyperbole surrounding emerging technologies to find those solutions offering real potential. To realize that potential, they should become "kinetic" organizations — companies with the dexterity and vision required to thrive amid ongoing technology-fueled disruption.

Tech Trends 2017 examines seven key trends that will likely revolutionize enterprise technology in the next 18 to 24 months. Among the trends discussed are machine intelligence, dark analytics and mixed reality, which is a blend of augmented reality, Internet-of-Things and virtual reality. The report also covers innovations in analytics, digital and cloud that are transforming the way organizations engage with customers and citizens; and reimagine products, services and business models.

"Kinetic enterprises are fluid and their leaders understand that to remain relevant, they will need to develop a deliberate innovation response to these disruptive forces," said Bill Briggs, chief technology officer and managing director, Deloitte Consulting LLP. "It's not about chasing every shiny new object; it's about translating the raw potential of emerging technology into a focused set of priorities with measurable, tangible business impact."

According to the report, some of the key trends that will transform the business landscape in 2017 and beyond include:

"This goes beyond the CIOs and IT department. There are factors changing every element of business," said Briggs. "Machine intelligence, blockchain and other technologies will have huge implications for talent, operations, and for the enterprise as a whole. Developing a strategy for prioritizing investments and harnessing these emerging technologies has become a boardroom directive."

The report's "Exponentials" chapter identifies four key areas blending science and applied technologies — nanotechnology, advanced energy storage, synthetic biology and quantum computing. Business leaders across industries should be aware of the looming potential these technological advances hold and begin exploring ways to harness exponentials within their organizations.

In addition, each chapter features a "Cyber Implications" section, which helps CIOs balance potential with responsibility around security, privacy and compliance. For the kinetic enterprise, striking this balance is necessity, and reflects a shift toward viewing risk strategically as a core discipline. The report also includes case studies, perspectives from industry luminaries, and experience from Deloitte practitioners that crosses government, business and society.

(Source: Deloitte)

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