Episode Details

Ciaran Burke is a fintech entrepreneur and business leader, serving as Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer of Swoop, a platform that helps small and medium-sized businesses access funding through loans, grants, and equity solutions. Under his leadership, Swoop has become a trusted resource for SMEs seeking faster, more efficient access to capital.

Prior to Swoop, Ciaran founded Hiive, a professional networking platform that grew to over 150,000 members and supported more than 4,500 businesses, including organizations such as Google, BBC, Facebook, and Sony. His experience scaling technology-driven companies has given him deep expertise in operations, growth strategy, and innovation.

Ciaran is passionate about leveraging technology and AI to improve business financing and empower entrepreneurs, sharing insights on fintech, SME funding, and building scalable businesses.

During the show we discuss:

• Why traditional funding is fragmented and how it limits business growth
• How to access multiple funding types (loans, grants, equity) in one place
• Why choosing the right funding type matters more than just getting approved
• How FinTech platforms are transforming business funding access
• The advantages of having a centralized funding marketplace
• How to increase your chances of approval by matching with the right lenders
• Why grants and equity are often overlooked opportunities
• How to streamline your funding strategy to save time and maximize results

Resources:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/burkecg/
https://swoopfunding.com/