Peer-to-peer lending platform Linked Finance has raised €2m in equity as part of plans to expand its business.
The company facilitates firms borrowing money put forward by other businesses and individuals.
This funding round was led by the company's original venture capital backers, Frontline Ventures.
They were joined by a group of 28 individual investors who are all active lenders on the Linked Finance platform.
Linked Finance said the new funds will provided it with the resources needed to ramp up its sales and marketing activity.
It said it wants to raise awareness of peer-to-peer lending and bring the benefits of its platform to a much wider audience of Irish business owners.
Since launching in 2013, Linked Finance has given €34.5m in loans to Irish SMEs, more than a third of which has already been repaid.
"It is fantastic that we have been able to practice what we preach, harnessing the power of the crowd to open this investment round to some of our most active users," commented Niall Dorrian, the company's chief executive.
"These lenders are people who know the platform inside out, they know what it's like to lend on the site and they really believe in what we do. It's great to have them on board, and also to have the continuing support of Frontline Ventures," Mr Dorrian added.
