Western Cape launches free digital funding platform for small businesses
Western Cape launches free digital funding platform for small businesses. The Western Cape Government has partnered with Finfind to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across the province identify potential sources of finance through a new digital funding-matching service.
The initiative, implemented through the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (Dedat), will give qualifying Western Cape MSMEs access to Finfind’s online platform at no cost. The service will be accessible through the department’s website.
Finfind’s platform matches businesses seeking finance with potential funders according to their funding requirements. Its database includes more than 300 government, banking and private funders, as well as more than 600 finance products covering areas such as debt, equity, grants, incentives and asset funding.
The partnership is aimed at making the funding process easier to navigate for businesses that may struggle to identify appropriate finance options or understand the requirements attached to different products.
Addressing MSME funding barriers
Data from Finfind’s nationally representative dataset, which supports the SA MSME Access to Finance Report 2025, highlights several challenges experienced by businesses seeking finance in the Western Cape.
The data shows that 83.2% of MSMEs applying for funding in the province have annual turnover below R1 million. These businesses account for 83.1% of permanent jobs within the Western Cape MSME sector.
More than half of funding applicants, at 51.5%, have been operating for longer than three years, while 52.2% do not have collateral available.
Financial record-keeping is another challenge identified in the data. Some 65.3% of applicants cannot provide their latest annual financial statements, while 63.4% report having no formal accounting system.
Finfind CEO Darlene Menzies said many entrepreneurs are uncertain about where to begin when looking for funding.
The partnership seeks to provide businesses with a more structured starting point by connecting them with potential funders and information about finance requirements.
Digital access to funding information
Under the agreement, Dedat will add an “Apply for Funding” button to its website. Businesses using the service will then enter Finfind’s onboarding process, where their funding needs can be assessed for potential matches.
According to Finfind, the platform also verifies business owner and company information against the Department of Home Affairs and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission.
The initiative will involve collaboration between 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 improving access to business support remains a priority.
The partnership creates a digital pathway through which MSMEs can explore potential funding opportunities while gaining information about the requirements associated with different finance options.
