The new firm aims to deliver fast and reliable funding for property developers and investors.

In the first 12 months, Kozo is targeting loan origination totalling approximately £25m–£35m.

B&C spoke with Kozo’s founders to discuss the launch and the lender’s aims.

“All three of us came together at a point where our experience aligned and we felt there was a genuine opportunity in the market”, said Joe (pictured above, left).

While the lending space is saturated, he said, “there is still clear demand for a lender that focuses on service, speed and a deep understanding of deal structure rather than volume.”

All three founders bring extensive experience in specialist finance. With current and prior senior roles at lenders and developers, they have gathered experience across different regions, asset types and market cycles.

“We bring real, hands-on property and development experience, having developed over £40m-worth of stock across more than 80 new-build units, alongside owning and managing property portfolios ourselves,” Joe explained.

“We understand the full lifecycle of a deal, both pre- and post-completion.”

“We are property professionals first, with strong finance fundamentals, rather than bankers trying to learn property,” he said.

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“This allows us to engage practically with surveyors, lawyers, contractors and borrowers to find workable solutions, not just tick boxes.”

Chris (pictured above, right) said Kozo aims to deliver “certainty,” by “understanding deals properly from day one and supporting brokers and borrowers throughout the full lifecycle of the loan.”

Ky (pictured above, centre) emphasised the founders’ shared wish to build “something long-term, focused on quality, relationships and delivery rather than chasing volume.”

Initially, Kozo launches as a bridging lender, with the plan being to expand into development finance over time.

When asked about how the new lender is funded, the founders responded: “Kozo is backed by two strong institutional funding lines.”

“We are active with multiple private and professional investors, some existing and for future deployment. This gives us flexibility and resilience in how we fund and grow the business.”

With Joe and Chris balancing their roles as founders of Bridgemore Capital, the pair explained “while we are still partly hands-on due to current business size, we are actively growing the team at Bridgemore to allow more time to be spent on Kozo.”

In terms of differentiation in a crowded market, Kozo’s approach “is about doing good business with good people on good assets. We are not rigid or ‘our way or the highway’ lenders.”

Brokers should “expect fast, honest feedback, strong support through completion, and consistent engagement post-completion,” the founders concluded.