9fin, an AI-powered analytics platform for debt capital markets (DCM), has raised $50 million in Series B funding led by Highland Europe. Existing investors Spark Capital, Redalpine, Seedcamp, 500 Startups, and Ilavska Vuillermoz Capital participated in the round.
The company will use the new funding to enhance its AI technology, expand its analytics team, and accelerate its US expansion while meeting the growing demand for high-quality information in the world’s largest asset class.
9fin tackles market inefficiencies dating back to the 1980s
Founded in 2016 by former JPMorgan banker Steven Hunter and Deutsche Bank alumnus Huss El-Sheikh, 9fin aims to modernise debt capital markets that have remained largely unchanged since the 1980s. The founders identified inefficient, traditional bond market practices and slow information flow to market participants. Their solution focuses on delivering real-time data and predictive analytics to enable more intelligent investment decisions.
Since its Series A+ round in 2022, the company has achieved 400% group-wide ARR growth, with even faster expansion in its US operations. The workforce has grown to 240 employees, and the recently doubled tech team has accelerated product development.
How does 9fin make finance information accessible with its AI?
The company has established itself as a pioneer in applying AI and generative AI to debt capital markets, serving the £141 trillion global market.
Steven Hunter, co-founder and CEO of 9fin, commented: “Debt markets are the biggest overlooked asset class in the world, yet they still rely on technology and information sources from the 1980s – opaque, slow, and messy. There’s a huge opportunity to build the #1 global provider of debt market analytics and bring debt markets into the AI age.”
For instance, the company’s 9fin AI tool enables users to get instant, high-quality answers to questions about companies in the debt capital markets, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual searches through filings.
Plus, 9fin helps subscribers gain competitive advantages through faster access to critical credit information. The platform covers high-yield bonds, leveraged loans, distressed debt, CLOs, private credit, and asset-backed finance. As the first provider to integrate generative AI into its platform, 9fin offers interactive Q&A tools, real-time market updates, and advanced search capabilities.
Huss El-Sheikh, co-founder and CTO of 9fin, concluded: “From the moment we started building at our kitchen table, 9fin has pioneered the use of AI in debt capital markets, setting a new industry standard. By investing in the best product and engineering talent, we’ve dramatically increased product velocity, delivering capabilities to give our customers the best workflows, tools, and insights and help them navigate easily through complex financial markets.”
The future of DCM lies with fintechs
Data analytics, AI, and machine learning are transforming debt capital markets by streamlining processes across the industry. Fergal Mullen, co-founder and partner of Highland Europe, said: “Debt markets are booming, but data and technology offerings simply haven’t kept pace. 9fin’s vision, its relentless focus on technology, innovation, and company culture, positions it as the go-to platform for those working in debt markets. We’re thrilled to support their ambition to become the global market leader.”
9fin focuses on democratising access to debt market data and providing real-time analytics that were previously unavailable. These advances are poised to reshape industry standards and create new investor opportunities.
