Our purpose is clear

We exist to ensure every business has a fair opportunity to reach its
full potential, regardless of any differences they may have.

We are building the world's first secondary marketplace for SME financial health data

We have turned SME data into a tradeable asset class.
This gives lenders the power to optimise portfolios, reduce risk, and unlock new growth markets once considered too risky.

SME financial health data is fragmented, siloed, and locked within individual institutions. This creates information asymmetry that drives up costs, limits growth, and restricts fair access to capital.

At GFA Exchange, we’ve solved this critical inefficiency.

Our secure, API-first marketplace platform transforms SME financial health data into a liquid, tradeable asset enabling financial institutions to benchmark, monitor, and trade insights instantly.

For lenders, this means stronger portfolios, lower risk of defaults, and access to new growth opportunities.

For Financial Institutions

- Reduce portfolio risk through comprehensive early warning signals
- Improve risk-adjusted returns with smarter data intelligence
- Enhance origination quality by identifying best-fit opportunities
- Access new markets previously deemed as too risky
- Meet regulatory requirements with data-driven risk management
- Strengthen capital raising with transparent portfolio insights

For SMEs (Free Access)

- Access 'Geoffrey' -
your own personal AI-powered Finance Health Butler
- Receive private, tailored recommendations, to make better growth decisions
- Benchmark performance against market peers in real-time
- Demonstrate investment readiness with verified financial health data
- Meet ESG requirements with transparent sustainability metrics

Our Vision

By creating liquidity in SME financial health data, we're building infrastructure for more efficient capital markets - where risk is properly assessed and growth capital flows to where it can create the most value.

This isn't just about technology - it's about market infrastructure that works for everyone.

We combine over 60 years of leadership experience across SME finance, global enterprise environments, fintech innovation, and inclusive business growth policy. With GFA Exchange, lenders gain the confidence of direct proven risk management and the opportunity to back growth with impact.

Fair. Inclusive. Authentic.

These values define who we are, and what we do.

"We believe SME data is a new asset class that deserves to be traded fairly, for the benefit of SMEs, financial institutions, and the society we all serve".

Joel Blake OBE, Founder & CEO.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can partner today.

Our Leadership Advisory Team

Our award-winning team understand practical
and real-life global SME finance and growth challenges.

Joel Blake OBE
Joel Blake OBE
founder & Ceo
Joel Blake OBE has over 20 years of experience across SME lending, UK finance policy advisory and supported the funding and growth of over 800 businesses and the deployment of more than £250 million in commercial finance.  

Joel is committed to leading sales and partnership development activity. He was awarded an OBE in 2016 for Services to Business Support and Enterprise.
Joanna Hill
Mark Trenavin-Body
finance
Mark is the former Global CFO for HSBC ServCo, a £18 billion business unit with the global HBSC Group. He has also held several executive and finance positions within Standard Chartered, Aviva and KPMG. 

Mark is a Fellow of the CMI and the Association of Taxation Technicians, alongside advisory board member of Norwich Business School and the Metropolitan University in Hong Kong.
Liz McKenzie
INvestment
Non-exec director of local government pension scheme; educated as a Production Engineer, including 19 years at Toyota across production control, logistics, cost management, productivity and supply chain management.

Former board director across insurance, and building societies. She is also an angel investor & is Chair of an IoT focused business.
Theodora Hadjmichael
Mark Body
Strategy
John is a business leader with over 20+ years of extensive B2B commercial experience in FinTech, financial services and data management with global firms, across global markets and geographies.

Having previously worked for JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, CitiGroup and Nomura, and was the former Chair of Investment Association Engine Fintech Hub.
Marcus Scott
Sam Roberts
Product / Marketing
Sam is a Demand Generation expert who helps B2B SaaS companies increase qualified revenue through marketing.

Sam has over 8 years of experience working across early to mid-stage B2B tech companies (from securing series A investment through to supporting the £65 million acquisition of a global CX vendor).

Marcus Scott
Marcus Scott
Technical / policy
Marcus is the former COO of The CityUK; he was instrumental in the work of the ReCapitalisation Group recommendations to UK government on the £100bn
COVID finance debt.

Prior to The CityUK, Marcus built up over 10 years' experience as a CFO for a number of technology companies, developing start-ups and high growth businesses.

Our Awards

We are grateful, with a few reasons for you to be excited! 

Top 50 UK Fintech 2024 - Most Innovative Financial Technologies  
Best Credit Risk Management Platform - Fintech 2023  
ESG Entrepreneur of the Year UK 2023
(Joel Blake OBE)
Top 20 of UK Fintech50 2023 - Most Innovative Financial Technologies
Awarded one of Midlands Top 50 Tech Disruptors 2023  
Awarded
Fintech of the Year 2022  
UK’s Top 10% most innovative start-ups to help financial services tackle COVID impact

UK Top 40 Emerging FinTech (NatWest Accelerator)
the investment association logo
IA Engine
Innovator Alumni



tech nation logo
One of the 50 most inspiring, prominent, and influential black voices in UK tech 2019
(Joel Blake OBE)
information age logo
UK Top 100 Fintech Startups 2019
tech nation logo
Rising Stars Regional Award Winner 2018


gfa exchange dashboard

Book your FREE platform demo!

See how GFA Exchange helps you manage SME portfolio risk with real-time, tradable insights.

We’ll walk through your risk challenges and how to take action.