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Bridgement’s pitch is simple: it gives small and medium-sized businesses fast, flexible access to working capital without the paperwork and waiting periods that have defined traditional bank lending. In practice, that means a fully digital application that can be completed online in about two minutes, a funding decision within 24 hours, and, once approved, access to funds within roughly half an hour during business hours. No branch visits, no stacks of printed financials, no courier runs.
Under the hood, the platform plugs directly into bank feeds and major accounting systems such as Xero, Sage and QuickBooks. For SMEs that do not use accounting software, applications can also be completed using standard PDF bank statements. Instead of asking SMEs to compile business plans and mounds of historic financial statements, Bridgement focuses on the real-time data. That data feeds a modern, automated underwriting engine that can assess affordability more accurately and more quickly than traditional, document-based processes. It also limits the scope for fraud and human error. For a time-pressed founder or finance manager, the entire experience feels much closer to using a consumer app than dealing with a bank’s business credit department.
This combination of usability and depth is part of the reason Bridgement has been piling up awards. Since 2023, it has been recognised by several independent international panels:
- Xero SA App of the Year (twice, in 2023 and 2025);
- GFM Review’s Best Fintech Award, Wealth and Finance’s most innovative business lender;
- MEA Markets’ Most Innovative Funding Provider (South Africa), and Global Brands Magazine’s Excellence in Digital Business Financing (South Africa).
The technology has impressed incumbents too. Bridgement’s platform now powers a fully white-labelled business loan solution for a major South African bank, effectively sitting behind the scenes while the bank presents the offering under its own brand.
If awards are the visible outcome, the real story is the shift in how SMEs think about funding. Traditional models have conditioned businesses to approach lenders only when they are already under pressure. Approval cycles can stretch into weeks, terms are often rigid, and interest usually starts accruing from the day a facility is granted, whether or not the funds are used. That environment encourages reactive behaviour and delayed decisions.
Bridgement’s facilities are designed to function as a cash-flow safety net rather than a last-minute lifeline. There is no cost to having a facility in place, no charges until the business actually draws down funds, no early settlement penalties and no obscure fee structures buried in the fine print. Repayments can be structured to match the rhythm of the business’s cash flows, whether that is daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly. In other words, the funding adjusts to the business, not the other way around.
“Traditional models have conditioned SMEs to delay important business decisions because access to finance starts costing them from the second they sign,” says Jordan Leighton, head of business development and partnerships at Bridgement. “Our model flips that dynamic on its head – businesses can have funding on standby, at zero cost, and only pay when they genuinely need the capital. It’s proactive, not reactive finance.”
The company’s strapline captures that idea neatly: “There when you need us, free when you don’t.”
Speed is a key part of the appeal. Bridgement’s average time from application to decision is around five business hours, and in 2025 it recorded a turnaround of just 63 minutes for a fully approved facility. Once the line is in place, drawing funds is almost instantaneous. For SMEs operating in sectors where opportunities are short-lived – a bulk stock deal, a sudden export order, an urgent equipment replacement – that responsiveness can be the difference between capitalising on an opportunity and watching it pass by.
The funding itself is flexible. Bridgement is one of the only alternative providers in South Africa that offers up to R10-million for terms of up to 24 months, making it suitable not just for short-term bridging but for slightly longer growth projects as well. Facilities can be used to smooth cash flow, cover payroll during slow months, buy inventory at a discount, invest in marketing, or simply provide a buffer against late-paying customers. In some cases, businesses can even unlock funds that are essentially “trapped” in existing agreements that have already been mostly paid down.
All of this is happening against a broader backdrop: South African fintech is increasingly being recognised on the global stage for solving tough, local problems with exportable technology. In the SME space, where funding gaps are well-documented and economic growth depends heavily on smaller businesses, the value of award-winning fintech solutions is not just theoretical. Faster, more flexible business loans and online business finance can keep factories running, protect jobs, and help entrepreneurs make bolder decisions.
“SMEs deserve funding that moves at the speed of their business,” says Leighton. “Our goal has always been to remove friction, and the international recognition we’ve received tells us we’re solving real problems for real businesses.”
The implication is straightforward: the SME business loan landscape is changing. Banks are still important, but they are no longer the only credible option. Fintech platforms like Bridgement are building parallel rails that prioritise speed, transparency and data-driven decision-making, with business owners able to manage applications, top-ups, withdrawals and repayments entirely online. DM
To explore Bridgement’s award-winning business loan solutions, click here.