SME Finance

Lelapa’s work centres on SME finance. In particular, we target the low end of the SME finance market, where SMEs fall in “missing middle” between microfinance and private equity. Providing risk capital to SMEs in the missing middle is notoriously challenging for investors of all types: one cannot apply traditional fund models, structures and instruments to this segment. A new approach to small deal sizes is required – one that leverages technology, innovative structures and alternative financial instruments.