Everything you need to know about industrial financing

Soka Finance is a specialist in complex industrial financing.

We help European manufacturers structure and secure alternative financing solutions when traditional banks are not able to support their projects.

By combining financial structuring expertise with access to a wide network of specialized lenders, we make complex financing possible.

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Banks focus on standard, low-risk financing.

Soka Finance operates where traditional banks reach their limits — on complex, structured, or non-standard projects.

This includes :

• Specialized or asset-heavy financing
• Innovative or “as-a-service” business models
• International or multi-structure transactions

Instead of applying rigid criteria, we design tailored solutions by working with a wide range of specialized alternative lenders.

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A traditional broker focuses on finding the best bank financing for standard deals.

Soka Finance operates differently: we structure complex financing solutions using specialized alternative lenders.

Instead of simply comparing rates, we :

• Design the right financing structure
• Identify the most relevant lenders
• Align the solution with the industrial project

This allows us to finance situations that are too complex or unconventional for brokers and banks.

Alternative financing refers to all non-bank funding solutions.

It includes debt funds, infrastructure funds, family offices, private investors, and leasing companies — each with its own criteria, making the market more fragmented than traditional banking.

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Because alternative lenders are highly specialized.

Each fund has its own criteria (assets, ticket size, risk), making the market fragmented and harder to navigate without proper structuring.

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No — many clients come to us before approaching banks.

When a project is complex or doesn’t fit standard criteria, involving Soka Finance early allows for better structuring, faster execution, and improved financing outcomes.

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Yes — especially when traditional financing falls short.

We help industrial companies secure financing for complex and strategic assets such as machine tools, production lines, transport equipment, and other specialized industrial infrastructure.

Our focus is on situations where:

• Banks are unable or unwilling to finance the project
• The structure is too complex for standard lenders
• The business model involves innovative setups (e.g. leasing, pay-per-use, as-a-service)

We structure and secure the right financing by leveraging our network of 70+ international alternative lenders and our deep expertise in asset-based finance.

We operate in France, across Europe, and internationally.

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Yes. We support manufacturers and equipment providers in structuring Equipment-as-a-Service and vendor financing programs.

This includes enabling subscription, leasing, or pay-per-use models through tailored asset-based financing structures, either via dedicated vehicles or financing partnerships.

Soka Finance acts as a long-term partner to design and deploy scalable financing solutions supporting these models.

Yes. We support industrial companies in both organic and external growth initiatives, including capacity expansion, international development, industrialization, acquisitions, and financing strategies related to scaling operations.

Yes, in specific industrial situations. We support companies when their financial structure needs to be adjusted, including asset refinancing, inventory financing, debt restructuring, and balance sheet optimization — always with a focus on maintaining operational continuity.

Yes. We structure inventory financing solutions across raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods, enabling companies to unlock liquidity without disrupting operations — including in situations where traditional lenders are unable to provide financing.

Yes - provided the project is built on solid fundamentals :

• Tangible industrial assets
• A credible business model
• A consistent risk-return profile

We support industrial startups when the financial logic is robust, even if the business model is innovative.

In particular, we support startups developing "as-a-service" models requiring dedicated financing structures.

No. We focus exclusively on financing tangible industrial assets.

Soka Finance is deliberately specialized in industrial financing. This specialization enables us to deliver highly relevant, credible, and effective solutions alongside our financing partners.

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Yes. We finance both new and second-hand industrial assets.

Our tailored approach allows us to assess each asset based on its market value, liquidity, and operational relevance, and structure financing accordingly.

For individual transactions, we typically finance projects ranging from €500K to €50M.

For platform or vendor financing programs, ticket sizes generally start at €10M, with no strict upper limit.

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The cost of financing depends on several factors, including the nature of the asset, the structure of the transaction, the risk profile, and the level of flexibility required.

We work with a wide range of financing partners. Some offer pricing close to traditional bank levels, while others provide more flexible or complex structures, typically associated with higher expected returns.

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We offer a wide range of financing terms, depending on the nature of the asset and the structure of the transaction.

This can include short-term bridge financing over a few months, inventory financing typically around 12 months, and long-term financing extending beyond 10 years for infrastructure or long-life assets.

When comparable solutions are available, we always encourage our clients to choose the most efficient option.

However, financing decisions should not be based on interest rates alone. Alternative financing can offer greater flexibility, longer tenors, tailored amortization profiles, and reduced constraints in terms of guarantees.

It can also enable faster execution, which is often critical for industrial projects.

Our approach is structured in three key steps:

1. Understanding and structuring your financing need  

2. Preparing a clear, robust, and credible investment case  

3. Connecting you with the most relevant financing partners and managing discussions  

We support our clients throughout the entire process, until the financing is successfully secured.

The timeline depends on the complexity of the project and the quality of the information available.

On average :

• 4 to 8 weeks for standard transactions
• Longer for more complex or multi-asset structures

Our structured approach and direct access to relevant financing partners allow us to accelerate the process

The process starts with an initial discussion to understand your project, objectives, and financing needs.

If we determine that we can bring value, we formalize our collaboration through a support mandate, allowing us to structure and lead the financing process on your behalf.

Soka Finance is primarily compensated on a success-fee basis, meaning we are paid when financing is successfully secured.

This model ensures strong alignment between our interests and those of our clients throughout the process.

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Depending on the nature and complexity of the project, a limited portion of our fees may be fixed.

These fees typically cover upfront work such as analysis, structuring, and preparation of the financing case, and are always defined transparently at the outset.

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No. We carefully select projects based on several key criteria :

• The quality and relevance of the underlying assets
• The strength and credibility of the business model
• A consistent and well-balanced risk-return profile

This selectivity is essential to maintain our credibility and effectiveness with financing partners.

We can quickly assess your project’s eligibility based on a few key criteria, including the nature of your assets, your business model, and your financing needs.

You can use our online eligibility tool for a first assessment, or contact us directly to discuss your project with our team.

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Yes. To ensure efficiency and credibility, our engagements are typically structured on an exclusive basis.

In practice, this means that you mandate Soka Finance to structure and arrange your financing for the duration of the engagement.

This approach ensures a clear and consistent positioning with financing partners, preserves the credibility of your project, and maximizes the chances of successful execution.

In return, we are fully committed to delivering a tailored approach, with compensation largely aligned with the successful completion of the financing.

We combine deep industrial understanding with strong financial expertise to structure and deliver tailored financing solutions.

• A strong understanding of industrial challenges and constraints
• Proven expertise in alternative financing
• The ability to structure and execute transactions from several million to tens of millions of euros
• A strong track record in complex situations where traditional financing solutions are not suitable