RMB And Standard Bank Back Bridgement With R330m To Scale AI-Powered SME Lending

RMB, an existing funding partner to Bridgement, together with Standard Bank, has backed the company with R330m, signalling confidence in Bridgement’s leading online business loan platform, servicing thousands of SMEs across South Africa. The funding from RMB and Standard Bank – South Africa’s two prominent banks, signals growing institutional confidence in technology-enabled businesses.

South Africa’s SME sector is the backbone of the economy, contributing around 40% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and providing employment to around 60% of the workforce. And yet, it faces a funding gap that’s currently estimated at between R350bn and R386bn.

Credit assessments have traditionally relied on audited financials, available collateral and visibility of consistent cash flows. This can make it difficult to assess businesses that operate differently or where this information is not always readily available. As a result, many South African businesses are unable to meet one or all of these requirements, often lacking up-to-date financials, fixed assets or predictable monthly cash flows.

A key challenge to funding SMEs has been how to assess and approve business funding at speed and scale without extensive reliance on traditional collateral. This is the problem that Bridgement solves, providing SMEs with access to essential credit using the data they already generate through the normal operation of their businesses. Data from bank accounts, accounting software such as Xero and Sage, and other digital financial sources provides a more accurate and up-to-date picture of a business’s creditworthiness. By securely analysing this information, Bridgement’s AI-powered platform builds a real-time view of a SME’s performance and cash flow, enabling funding decisions within minutes from receiving an application.

Bridgement’s proprietary AI-powered platform analyses thousands of financial and operational data points in real time, enabling faster and more accurate credit decisions than traditional lending processes. The technology is used throughout the customer journey, from fraud detection and risk assessment to customer support and ongoing portfolio monitoring. By understanding the nuances of different industries, business models and cash flow patterns, Bridgement is able to provide funding solutions tailored to each business while delivering some of the fastest turnaround times in the market.

The platform also enables flexible repayment structures aligned to how businesses actually earn revenue. Rather than forcing SMEs into rigid monthly repayment schedules, Bridgement offers daily, weekly, bi-monthly or monthly repayment options that better match underlying cash flows and reduce repayment strain.

The RMB and Standard Bank funding enables Bridgement to expand its direct lending to SMEs and strengthen its position as a leading online business lender in South Africa. In addition to funding businesses directly, Bridgement partners with banks and corporates by licensing its technology, enabling them to better serve SME clients through next-generation embedded and AI-powered business lending solutions.

Since launching a decade ago, the company has funded thousands of small and medium-sized businesses and won awards for simplifying access to SME funding. Bridgement’s platform was recognised as Xero App Partner of the Year in both 2023 and 2025, reflecting its leadership in helping SMEs securely share financial data and access funding faster. Bridgement has deployed over R2bn to South African SMEs across its online business loan, credit facility and invoice finance products, with funding of up to R10 million and repayment terms of up to 24 months.

Key insights:

• R350bn–R386bn – South Africa's estimated SME funding gap, despite SMEs contributing 40% of GDP and 60% of employment.
• R330m – funding raised from RMB and Standard Bank, to expand Bridgement's direct SME lending capacity.
• R2bn+ – deployed to South African SMEs by Bridgement since 2016.
• Three cloud accounting platforms – Bridgement is the only SME lender in South Africa integrated across Xero, Sage and QuickBooks.
• Up to R10m – available on repayment terms up to 24 months.

In their own words:

"This funding reflects the confidence that two of South Africa’s largest banking groups have placed in our technology, our team and our vision for SME finance. We’ve already helped thousands of businesses access over R2bn in funding, and this backing allows us to extend that impact to even more South African SMEs.

"SMEs don't need more paperwork. They need faster access to capital. By using AI to analyse live financial data instead of relying solely on traditional lending processes, we're helping more businesses access the funding they need to grow. The result is faster decisions, a better customer experience and some of the quickest turnaround times available to South African businesses." – Daniel Goldberg, founder and CEO at Bridgement

"RMB has been a funding partner to Bridgement for several years and has seen the business consistently execute on its vision of improved financial inclusion within South Africa. Bridgement has demonstrated an ability to combine technology, data and credit expertise to deliver funding efficiently and at scale. We are pleased to extend our support through this new funding and look forward to supporting the next phase of the company's growth." – Xolela Albert, Leveraged Finance: Lead Transactor, RMB