The entrepreneurial spirit is thriving in the United States, evidenced by a record-breaking 5.5 million new business applications filed last year. However, this surge in new ventures presents a challenge to traditional business lending solutions, which may struggle to keep up with the evolving landscape of small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
External financing is a common necessity for businesses, especially smaller ones, to fuel growth and navigate daily disruptions. Markaaz, for instance, recently announced the development of a proprietary business health score tailored to SMBs, utilizing alternative data points to streamline access to financial services.
According to Markaaz CEO Hany Fam, 30% of small businesses face rejections for basic financial services due to verification challenges. This barrier not only limits opportunities for financial service providers but also hampers the growth potential of smaller businesses.
In response, fintechs, banks, and other solution providers are increasingly turning to alternative data to assess SMB creditworthiness more accurately. Traditional credit scoring models, reliant on limited financial data, often fall short in evaluating the credit risk of SMBs, leading to denial of funding for 6 in 10 businesses.
Ryan Rosett, CEO at Credibly, emphasizes the imperative nature of working capital for small businesses, highlighting the gap in the market for alternative lenders. Alternative data sources offer a broader perspective on an SMB’s financial health, including insights into cash flow patterns, payment behavior, and risk factors not captured by traditional models.
Amidst ongoing economic uncertainties and digital transformation imperatives, SMBs face a range of challenges, including access to capital. Innovations in funding solutions are crucial to addressing their evolving needs, empowering businesses to make informed borrowing decisions aligned with their growth objectives.
As the SMB landscape continues to evolve, the integration of alternative solutions into traditional credit models offers a promising pathway for businesses to thrive in an increasingly dynamic market environment.