Financely Transparency Report 2025: Placement Rates, Screening Criteria, and Quality Controls
Period covered:
January 1 to August 29, 2025. This report explains how we define placement rate, what we count in the denominator, and the controls attached to each stage of an engagement. It also clarifies what we exclude from any “review” claim that did not reach client status.
Bottom line:
placement rate is calculated on verified mandates only. We do not count unactivated inquiries, fee-avoidant requests, or proposals that failed KYC/AML. Underwriting, legal, and compliance are paid milestones.
Green:
bankable, on-track
Amber:
contingent, pending items
Red:
declined or out-of-scope
1) Scope and Methodology
| Item
|
Definition
|
Included in placement rate?
|
| Verified mandate
|
Signed engagement, activation received, KYC/AML passed, data room opened, retainer funded before underwriting. |
Yes
|
| Unactivated inquiry
|
Lead that never pays activation or refuses KYC, sends only a one-pager or forum-style request. |
No
|
| Out-of-scope request
|
PPP “programs,” leased-instrument monetization, 100% LTC with zero equity, or non-compliant structures. |
No
|
2) How We Calculate Placement Rate
Placement rate =
number of verified mandates
that reached funding
÷ total number of verified mandates
that completed underwriting in the period. We show status bands
publicly and disclose exact percentages under NDA when required.
| Status band
|
Meaning
|
Public reporting
|
| Green — Funded
|
Executed facility and first draw completed. |
Counted in numerator. |
| Amber — Committed
|
Signed terms in CPs; not counted as funded until drawdown. |
Disclosed as committed, not funded. |
| Red — Declined/Withdrawn
|
Failed underwriting or sponsor stopped. |
Disclosed as declined, with reason codes. |
3) Screening Criteria (Gatekeeping Inputs)
Capital
Verifiable sponsor equity and realistic leverage. No 100% financing asks. Coverage tested under downside cases.
Documentation
Audited or review-level financials, defendable model, material contracts, permits, third-party reports, and clear use of proceeds.
Compliance
KYC/AML for all relevant entities and individuals. BO transparency. Sanctions and adverse media cleared.
4) Quality Controls Applied to Every Verified Mandate
- Underwriting memo:
risk notes, mitigants, covenant outline, and capital stack rationale.
- Counterparty verification:
institutional coordinates for funds/lenders, NDA and term provenance checks.
- CP tracker:
conditions precedent logged with owners, dates, and document locations.
- Audit trail:
correspondence, drafts, approvals, and closing statements retained per policy.
5) Outcome Categories We Publish
| Outcome
|
Definition
|
Typical next step
|
| Funded
|
Facility executed and first draw posted. |
Monitoring, covenant reporting, and performance reviews. |
| Committed
|
Term sheet signed; CPs underway. |
Document execution and draw schedule. |
| Deferred
|
Awaiting additional equity, collateral, or third-party reports. |
Re-submit data room for a fresh credit read. |
| Declined
|
Out of policy, failed diligence, or unresolved compliance. |
Feedback memo and remediation path where possible. |
6) What We Exclude From Any “Review” Claim
- Unactivated leads:
no activation fee, no KYC, no data room.
- Out-of-scope asks:
PPP, bullet trades, leased-instrument monetization, or 100% financing with zero equity.
- Anonymous forum posts:
no mandate, no documents, no timeline. Not clients.
7) Typical Timelines by Facility Type
| Facility
|
To indicative terms
|
To first draw (post-CPs)
|
Key gate
|
| Structured trade (inventory/receivables) |
2–5 weeks |
6–12 weeks |
Title, storage, counterparty performance, collateral controls |
| Commercial real estate bridge |
3–6 weeks |
6–10 weeks |
Equity in, DSCR under stress, capex and permits |
| Project finance (renewables) |
4–10 weeks |
10–16+ weeks |
PPA, EPC, resource studies, reserves |
8) Complaint Handling and Escalation
We review written complaints tied to a verified mandate. Files include KYC records, fee receipts, underwriting notes, and draft terms. If a party never cleared compliance or never activated, their correspondence is archived as non-client and excluded from statistics.
9) Statement on Fees
- Activation:
funds intake and screening. Non-refundable once screening begins.
- Retainer:
funds underwriting, modeling, legal coordination, and market work.
- Success fee:
payable at funding only. Best-efforts model. No guarantees.
10) Request a Data-Room Review
Upload your data room with equity committed and target facility. We respond with scope, fees, and a plan aligned to credit reality.
Considering a mandate
If you meet the screening criteria and accept the sequence, we will engage. If you do not, we will decline quickly and in writing.
Request a mandate review
Share your capital need, equity committed, and data room status. We will provide a structured response.
Contact Us
Financely provides investment banking advisory on a best-efforts basis. We are not a broker-dealer. We do not guarantee funding. All engagements require activation and retainer fees, KYC and AML, and full underwriting. Public bands are indicative; exact percentages are available under NDA. This report addresses process and controls, not private individuals.