9fin Ltd.

The Bloomberg Terminal for the AI Era

Behind every major loan, bond, or restructuring is a credit team making billion-dollar decisions—often using spreadsheets, PDFs, and tools built decades ago. Founded in 2016 by former investment bankers Steven Hunter and Huss El-Sheikh, 9fin was built to bring the debt capital markets into the modern era. The company provides an AI-native intelligence platform that unifies real-time news, hard-to-access financial data, and advanced analytics for leveraged finance, private credit, and distressed debt.

Today, 9fin is trusted by over 300 of the world's leading investment banks, asset managers, hedge funds, and law firms. With a recent $170M Series C valuing the company at $1.3B, 9fin is rapidly scaling its team of 350+ "9finners" across London, New York, and Belfast to become the global standard for debt market intelligence.

A Culture of Autonomy and "Beautiful Simplicity"

9fin operates on a foundation of trust, autonomy, and a relentless focus on the user. The founders established 11 core values before hiring their first employee, ensuring the culture remained intentional as the company grew. Key among these are "Family and health come first" and "Overcommunicate."

The engineering and product teams champion "Beautiful simplicity," believing that B2B software should be just as intuitive and well-designed as consumer applications. There is also a strong emphasis on cross-functional alignment: "Technology doesn't serve the business. Technology is the business." This means everyone, from engineers to reporters, is expected to understand both the technical architecture and the specific needs of credit professionals.

What You'll Actually Do

Work at 9fin sits at the intersection of complex financial data and cutting-edge AI.

For Software Engineers and Data Scientists, the core challenge is building systems that can automatically read, extract, and map relationships within messy financial documents (like bond covenants and pricing structures) at scale, while maintaining the strict accuracy required by financial institutions.

For Reporters and Credit Analysts, the day-to-day involves breaking news, analyzing debt structures, and working closely with the tech teams to validate AI outputs and ensure the platform delivers trustworthy, actionable intelligence. The environment is fast-paced, blending the agility of a tech startup with the rigor of high finance.

Compensation & Benefits

9fin offers competitive compensation, though exact figures depend heavily on location (London vs. New York). According to Levels.fyi data, Software Engineers in the UK report median total compensation around $136K (£102K+), while HR roles report around $96K. U.S.-based roles generally command higher base salaries aligned with the New York tech market.

The company is highly rated for its benefits, earning a spot in the Flexa Top 100 for workplace flexibility. Perks include the ability to work from anywhere for up to 3 months a year, a hybrid flexible model for the rest of the time, and enhanced parental leave (22 weeks full pay for birthing parents, 12 weeks for non-birthing parents). Employees also receive a generous annual learning and development budget (£1,250 / $1,400) and 12 dedicated training days per year.

The Interview Process

The hiring process at 9fin is thorough, taking an average of 30 days. Based on Glassdoor reviews, the process typically involves 3 to 4 rounds.

For engineering roles, candidates can expect an initial screening call, followed by technical assessments that may include a take-home skills test or a live technical interview focusing on testing, end-to-end architecture, and previous experience. The final stages often include a behavioral interview with standard questions like describing a time you had a significant impact or took the initiative to tackle technical debt. For commercial and sales roles, the process includes screening calls followed by an in-person final interview focused on background and cultural fit.

Why Join / Why Not

Why Join: 9fin is one of the most exciting fintech startups in Europe right now. If you want to work on complex, high-stakes data problems and disrupt a massive, antiquated industry, this is the place. The company offers genuine flexibility, strong benefits, and the momentum of a newly minted unicorn with deep pockets.

Why Not: The intersection of AI and debt markets is highly technical and demanding. If you prefer building consumer-facing apps or lack interest in the nuances of B2B financial infrastructure, the domain might feel dry. Additionally, while compensation is strong for the UK market, it may not match the top-tier cash packages offered by established US Big Tech companies in London.