Yoii and Teikoku Databank Survey Reveals Wide Gap in RBF Awareness Between Startups and SMEs

Survey Overview

Yoii Inc., with the cooperation of Teikoku Databank, Ltd., conducted an "Awareness and Current Status Survey on Fundraising" targeting 1,840 companies nationwide. This survey quantitatively clarifies the domestic awareness, usage status, and consideration of Revenue-Based Financing (RBF)—a method of raising capital based on future revenues.

Key Findings

Regarding RBF awareness, a striking gap was observed between startup companies and SMEs. While 52.4% of startups—more than half—are aware of RBF, awareness among SMEs remains at just 12.0%. A significant divergence also exists in the depth of understanding: 22.3% of startups deeply understand the concept, compared to only 3.2% of SMEs.

Structural Challenges in Fundraising

For startups, top challenges in fundraising include "screening time," "cumbersome procedures," and "equity dilution," highlighting a demand for efficiency in the procurement process. Meanwhile, approximately 90% of SMEs responded that they "do not know" about RBF, and 61.5% of those who would not consider it cited "existing fundraising methods are sufficient" as the reason. This suggests a current reality where RBF is not even recognized as an option, rather than being dismissed after comparative evaluation.

Future Outlook

In response to these survey results, Yoii plans to strengthen its information dissemination and service expansion through "Yoii Fuel" to help companies compare and consider fundraising methods suited to their financial strategies. All eyes are on how the RBF option, which is gaining traction primarily among high-growth companies, will penetrate the domestic market moving forward.