One significant barrier to increasing access to credit in African small businesses is the collateral requirement. Many small businesses in Africa do not have the required assets or financial stability to secure a loan, a problem exacerbated by the high interest rates charged by lending institutions. Another obstacle is the lack of credit history often associated withsmall businesses on the continent – even if they have good managerial credentials and are backed by reliable investors, many lenders will be hesitant to grant loans based on their perceptions of an applicant’s riskiness.
Lulalend is a South African fintech company that provides loans to underserved small and medium-sized businesses. The company has seen success in closing loans to businesses in South Africa, which has helped the economy as a whole. Lulalend currently operates through three core services: Microloans, which provide small sums of money; Enterprise Loans, which offer longer term financing options; and Crowdfunding, a platform that allows consumers to invest in startup ventures.
The funding will be used for the continued development of the digital lender, which offers short-term credit to small businesses in Emerging markets. The company has already helped more than 350,000 businesses in 68 countries get access to credit and is on track to reach 1 million customers within three years.
Lulalend has been praised by small businesses in South Africa as a more efficient and faster way to obtain short-term loans than traditional lenders. The startup’s credit scoring algorithm and diverse set of alternative data sources make it an attractive option for businesses that may not be able to get traditional financing.
Lulalend’s solution was to introduce a bundled, inclusive model of financial service provision in an effort to help businesses navigate the pandemic. The company’s bundle of products includes digital banking, loans, and insurance services that can assist businesses at all stages of growth. By bundling these products together, Lulalend created a simplified experience that helped its customers overcome some of the barriers they would have encountered when visiting a traditional bank.
Lula is a credit-led neobanking solution offered by digital lender, e-Loan. This solution is in partnership with pan-African bank Access Bank, which means that businesses can use it to open bank accounts and access other perks, like cash flow management and faster access to capital. This could be a big boon for small businesses in Africa who often have difficulty accessing traditional finance options.
The founders of digital bank StartupLabs went down a difficult road when they realized that access to credit is just one of many needs that businesses face. After much deliberation, the team decided to create their own digital bank in order to better meet the needs of business owners. By providing a wide range of services and products, StartupLabs reflects the ever-evolving needs and wants of entrepreneurs nationwide.
With access to funding now also comes the need for businesses to have an end-to-end cash flow management solution. By expanding their horizons from just access to funding, businesses can find the best ways to solve their cash flow issues. These solutions could include finding new ways to generate revenue or improving their overall financial operations.
Despite being in beta, Lulalend’s mobile and web apps are still being used by businesses to access loans from other banks. The platform is only available to a limited number of testers at the moment, but over 20,000 businesses are on its waitlist.
In essence, Gosling’s company is using its access to bank customers’ transactional data in order toRecommend funding and other services that are likely beneficial to the customer. The company also provides its customers with tools that allow them to track their businesses and make strategic decisions. Overall, this makes Gosling’s company a powerful tool for small business owners
Lulalend’s credit solutions have made it one of the most successful providers in the market, with partnerships with some of South Africa’s biggest companies. The company has created a credit distribution strategy that seems to be working, and its solutions are often used by partners as part of their own distribution strategies.
Because the company has a low non-performing loan ratio, customers can access smaller loans for longer tenures with lower monthly interests. This provides more liquidity for businesses and helps them grow more quickly.
A large part of Credit Karma’s success comes from embedding credit solutions into partners to help them scale. The company has also worked with its partners to understand their SME bases and consider how Credit Karma can service them better. This has helped Credit Karma significantly scale distribution efforts, making it a leading provider of credit solutions for small businesses.
Lulalend is an online business banking provider that has quickly gained a following in South Africa due to its high speed and turnaround time in providing loans and opening bank accounts. The company provides constant support services to its clients, which differentiates it from traditional providers such as TymeBank.
The capital raise will allow Lulalend to increase its loan book, bring new solutions to market and invest in the technology and talent necessary for the rollout of the company’s new digital business banking platform. With a larger lending library and more innovative products, Lulalend is poised to disrupt the financial services industry.
Lulalend seems to be gearing up for a big year, with plans to expand its operations and raise money through debt. The company is hoping to shore up its balance sheet by raising over $200 million in debt, which will help it expand into new markets.
