Businesses in the Western Cape will have a new route to funding through a partnership between the provincial government and Finfind aimed at making finance easier to find and access.
Through the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (Dedat), the Western Cape provincial government will provide micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with free access to Finfind’s online funding-matching platform via the department’s website.
The platform matches businesses seeking finance with potential funders based on their funding needs. Its database includes more than 300 government, bank and private funders and more than 600 finance products, including debt, equity, grants, incentives and asset funding.
Finfind CEO Darlene Menzies said the partnership is intended to address one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face when seeking finance, knowing where to start.
“This partnership creates an opportunity to help MSMEs across the Western Cape to find the right finance option and, importantly, to get information about what the funder needs from them to qualify for the funding,” said Menzies.
She said many entrepreneurs struggle to identify suitable funders and finance products.
“Most entrepreneurs don’t know where to start when it comes to funding, they don’t know who the funders are or which finance products match their needs. The Western Cape government is addressing this challenge for this vital sector through our partnership,” Menzies said.
Small businesses face funding hurdles
The need for improved access to finance is highlighted by data from Finfind’s nationally representative dataset, which underpins the SA MSME Access to Finance Report 2025.
The data shows that 83.2% of MSMEs applying for funding in the Western Cape have annual turnover below R1 million. These businesses account for 83.1% of permanent jobs in the province’s MSME sector.
Funding applicants also face challenges around collateral and financial records.
About 52.2% have no collateral available, while 65.3% are unable to provide their latest annual financial statements. A further 63.4% report having no formal accounting system.
These gaps can make it harder for smaller businesses to meet the documentation requirements associated with traditional bank and development finance institution lending models.
Digital funding pathway
Under the partnership, Dedat will add an Apply for Funding button to its website, directing businesses to Finfind’s onboarding process.
Businesses will be assessed according to their funding needs and matched with potential funders, while the platform will also provide information on the requirements needed to meet to improve their chances of securing finance.
Finfind said the platform verifies business owner and company information against records from the Department of Home Affairs and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission.
The partnership will also involve coordination among Finfind, the City of Cape Town, and the Western Cape’s five district municipalities to extend access-to-finance support through government touchpoints across the province.
Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, said the partnership will help connect businesses with practical support while making the funding process more accessible.
