Asset finance in Cambridge

CoreFi arranges asset finance for Cambridge limited companies, from laboratory and scientific instruments to vans, plant and manufacturing equipment. We are a broker, not a lender, matching your purchase to a whole-of-market panel of asset financiers. The lender decides whether to fund and on what terms.

Asset finance lets a Cambridge business fund equipment over time instead of paying for it upfront, spreading the cost while the asset earns its keep. It suits everything from laboratory instruments and analytical equipment on the Biomedical Campus to vans, plant and machinery used by trading firms across the city and South Cambridgeshire.

CoreFi arranges asset finance as a broker. We look across a whole-of-market panel of asset financiers and match your purchase, and your accounts, to lenders with the right appetite. The lender decides whether to fund the asset and at what rate; anything we quote is indicative only.

  1. 1

    Tell us what you need to fund

    Describe the asset, whether it is lab equipment, a vehicle, plant or machinery, along with the cost and how it fits your business. This shapes which lenders we approach.

  2. 2

    We match the asset to the right financier

    We look across our whole-of-market panel for asset financiers with appetite for your sector and equipment type, including specialists comfortable with scientific and technical kit.

  3. 3

    We manage the case to a decision

    We help present your figures and documents, then manage the process to a lender decision. The lender values the asset, assesses affordability and sets the terms.

Funding lab and scientific equipment for Silicon Fen firms

A large share of Cambridge's economy runs on expensive, specialist equipment. Life sciences firms on the Biomedical Campus, at Babraham and across the Science Park invest heavily in analytical instruments, cold storage, cleanroom kit and lab automation, often before they are consistently profitable. Asset finance can spread that cost, but this is a nuanced area: some scientific equipment is highly specialised with a thin resale market, which affects how lenders view it as security. We understand that dynamic and work with financiers who are comfortable lending against the right kit. For a grant-and-equity funded spinout, we are also realistic about what the accounts will support, and we say so up front rather than raising false hope.

Vehicles, plant and machinery for local trading businesses

Away from the labs, Cambridge has plenty of ordinary businesses that need physical assets to trade. Contractors and fit-out firms working across new-build sites at Northstowe, Cambourne and Trumpington need vans and tools; manufacturers and distributors near Waterbeach and along the A14 need plant, forklifts and production machinery; service firms need commercial vehicles. Hire purchase and finance leases let these businesses acquire equipment while preserving cash. These cases are usually assessed more conventionally on trading history and affordability, and there is genuine competition among lenders, which we use to your advantage when we shop the market on your behalf.

Refinancing existing assets to release working capital

If your Cambridge company already owns valuable equipment or vehicles outright, asset refinance can release capital tied up in them. A manufacturer with paid-for production machinery, or a firm with a fleet on the balance sheet, can potentially raise funds against those assets and reinvest in growth, hiring or new premises. This can be useful for scaling businesses in and around the city where commercial space and expansion costs are high. As with any facility, a lender will value the assets, assess affordability and set the terms; the figures we discuss beforehand are indicative only and not a commitment to lend.

Frequently asked questions

What kinds of assets can you help finance in Cambridge?

We arrange finance for a wide range of assets, from laboratory and scientific instruments to vans, plant, forklifts and manufacturing machinery. What a lender will fund depends on the asset, its resale market and your accounts. The lender makes the final decision.

Can you finance specialist scientific equipment?

Some financiers on our panel are comfortable with laboratory and technical equipment, but highly specialised kit with a thin resale market can be harder to place. We are honest about appetite and match your case to lenders who understand the asset type.

Can I raise money against equipment I already own?

Possibly. Asset refinance can release capital tied up in equipment or vehicles your company owns outright. A lender values the assets and assesses affordability before offering terms. Any figures we discuss beforehand are indicative only.

Is CoreFi the lender for asset finance?

No. We are a broker. We match your equipment purchase to asset financiers on our whole-of-market panel, and the lender decides whether to fund it and on what terms. We do not lend our own money.

Get matched with lenders for your Cambridge business

Tell us what your business needs and we will match you with lenders whose criteria fit. No obligation, no cost to start the conversation, and a straight answer about what is realistic for your situation.

Get matched with lenders