Lulapay And Cloud On Demand Support SME Growth With Flexible Payment Solutions

Through the partnership, qualifying Cloud on Demand partners will now have access to structured 30-day payment flexibility, helping them better align supplier payments with customer billing cycles, and easing one of the most persistent pressures facing profitable technology SMEs.

Cloud on Demand is a major player in South Africa’s ICT ecosystem, enabling resellers to procure and manage subscription-based cloud and software solutions at scale. But as the technology channel shifts toward recurring revenue models, many partners are experiencing a structural cash flow mismatch: supplier accounts are settled monthly, while customers often pay 30 to 60 days later.

On paper, many of these businesses are profitable. In practice, their growth is constrained by working capital timing.

“South Africa’s SME technology sector is growing rapidly, but subscription models have fundamentally changed how cash moves through these businesses,” says Jordan Gosling, vice president of Lulapay. “By embedding flexible funding directly into the Cloud on Demand ecosystem, we’re enabling partners to unlock growth without taking on rigid, traditional debt structures.”

“This partnership reflects Lulapay’s focus on embedding flexible payment options directly into the supplier ecosystems where SMEs already transact. By working with distributors like Cloud on Demand, Lulapay aims to help suppliers support partner growth while maintaining predictable cash flow and stronger trading relationships across the B2B channel,” says Gosling

Rather than applying for standalone bank loans, qualifying partners can access funding within the platform where they already transact. This embedded finance approach allows them to extend repayment terms when needed, smooth out cash flow gaps and pursue larger opportunities with greater confidence.

“This partnership with Lulapay is about more than payments – it’s about empowering our partners to grow by unlocking additional working capital. By strengthening their financial capabilities, we’re enabling them to remove growth constraints, improve cash flow, and scale with confidence – turning their ambitions into reality,” remarks Anthony Roberts, chief financial officer at Cloud On Demand.

Globally, embedded finance is transforming B2B commerce by integrating financial services directly into digital marketplaces. Instead of treating funding as a separate banking function, it becomes part of the transaction infrastructure itself.

For ICT resellers and MSPs, this shift could be significant. As demand for cloud and software solutions accelerates, smaller channel players often face liquidity constraints that limit deal sizes or slow expansion, despite strong underlying demand.

By integrating structured working capital into its marketplace, Cloud on Demand is positioning its partner network to scale more sustainably in an increasingly subscription-driven economy.

In a constrained economic environment, aligning payment timing with real revenue cycles is no longer simply a competitive advantage – it is becoming essential to sustainable growth.