Ethical B2B marketplace, Earlytrade, has secured an exclusive four-year deal with the Finance & Treasury Association (FTA) making it the first-ever non-bank principal partner for the group’s prestigious annual event.

The closed event, which brings together senior finance executives and thought-leaders from over 300 of Australia’s top companies, has been historically run through partnerships with Australia’s big four banks.

Earlytrade Co-founder and CEO, Guy Saxelby said the agreement was a combination of good timing, opportunism and clear strategy.

“It represents the growing recognition and influence of fintechs in the corporate and finance sectors. More sectors and opportunities that were previously only available to major financial institutions are opening up to emerging players, as the credibility and size of the sector grows,” Mr Saxelby said.

FTA CEO Ben Leaver said events of 2020 – the pandemic, the subsequent lockdowns and the recession – had given impetus for corporate treasurers to explore new approaches to issues previously taken for granted.

“Earlytrade is the perfect representation of local tech-based innovation in B2B marketplaces and values-oriented decisions being made in the finance sector,” Mr Leaver said.

The Sydney-based, Earlytrade, was able to capitalise on the evolving digital and supply chain priorities from businesses during the pandemic, growing platform revenue of its ethical Supply Chain Finance and early payments marketplace by 767% (FY20).

In macro-economic policy terms, ethically-oriented early payments programs are tax-free stimulus that free-up cash for SMEs, stimulating jobs and investment in innovation.

The FTA partnership is an opportunity for Earlytrade to share its message of ethical payment practices with those that make pivotal decisions on how cash flows through the national economy.

Read the full article published on FinExtra on 10 November 2020