‘A credit score is rarely the whole story’

We’re living in a hybrid world, where AI has embedded itself into our daily routines and tasks – and the lending sector is no exception. Data from the Bank of England and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) reveals that 75% of UK financial services firms now actively use AI, while an additional 10% plan to adopt it within three years. In the lending world, AI has taken outdated and repetitive processes and automated them, streamlining them into efficient tasks and freeing up professionals’ time for more important things. But AI shouldn’t be seen as a panacea for all the industry’s ailments, and it’s not an answer to every challenge. In fact, the rise of AI has unintentionally highlighted one asset all lenders should be focusing on – the importance of human judgement. One firm that understands this better than most is Bizcap, a lender that specialises in helping smaller businesses and start-ups get on the corporate ladder. Because while innovative technology will always play some role in the lending process, Bizcap’s team knows it can never be used as a replacement for the all-important human touch.

“Technology has transformed the speed and quality of lending,” explains Sasha Berg, managing partner at Bizcap UK. “AI can analyse large volumes of financial data, identify patterns and surface insights in minutes that would have once taken hours or even days. That allows us to remove unnecessary administration and respond to businesses much faster. “Where technology reaches its limit is in understanding nuance. Businesses aren’t spreadsheets. A delayed payment from a major customer, a temporary disruption or an investment that’s yet to deliver a return can all influence the numbers without reflecting the long-term strength of the business. That’s where experienced credit professionals add real value. They ask questions, understand context and make informed judgements that technology alone can’t.” And the data agrees here. According to research from Addition Wealth, while 74% of people regularly use AI in their daily lives, just 21% trust AI as a source for financial decisions. What’s more, a staggering 72% want a human leading or actively involved when they’re receiving financial guidance, and only 5% prefer guidance that is fully AI-driven. A primary reason human judgement is so integral to the lending process is that element of trust. Trust plays a huge role in making personal financial decisions, meaning that in an increasingly digitised world it’s crucial that business owners really feel heard and understood here.

For many SMEs, funding decisions happen during periods of uncertainty. And, as Blachman explains, knowing there’s someone prepared to listen and understand their business can make a significant difference to their experience. Because at Bizcap, they’re all about looking beyond the numbers and getting to the heart of what makes a business tick. And while figures are important, they’re not indicative of the whole picture. “A credit score is one data point, but it’s rarely the whole story,” adds Berg. “When we assess a business, we’re looking at how it’s performing today, where it’s heading and whether funding can genuinely support its next stage of growth. We consider factors like revenue consistency, cash flow trends, industry conditions and the reasons behind any historical credit issues.”

For example, as Berg tells Mortgage Introducer, a business may have experienced a difficult period because of supply chain disruptions or the loss of a major customer, but since then it may have rebuilt its client base and returned to strong trading. And a credit score won’t necessarily capture that progress. “Looking beyond the numbers doesn’t mean ignoring risk,” adds Berg. “It means taking a more complete view of it, so we can distinguish between a business with temporary challenges and one with deeper structural issues.”

‘This biggest difference at Bizcap is our mindset’Part of what makes Bizcap so different to the mainstream, traditional lenders lies in its unique approach to assessing credit and risk which allows the team to really understand their customers and approve loans in as little as three hours. “The difference at Bizcap is our mindset,” adds Blachman. “Traditional banks have an important role to play, but they’re often designed around standardised processes and highly prescriptive lending criteria. We were built specifically to support businesses that don’t always fit neatly within those frameworks.” That means Bizcap has designed its entire customer experience around simplicity,

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‘A credit score is one data point, but it’s rarely the whole story’“Trust comes from feeling that someone genuinely understands your situation,” says Zalman Blachman, co-founder and global co-CEO at Bizcap. “Technology should make the process easier, not more impersonal. Business owners appreciate being able to apply online and receive fast updates, but they also want confidence that someone has actually considered their circumstances rather than simply letting an algorithm decide their future. “That’s why human communication remains so important. Being transparent about how decisions are made, explaining what’s needed and giving businesses access to experienced people when they have questions all help build confidence.”

Bizcap is a global non-bank lender offering fast, flexible funding to businesses in Australia, the US, the UK, New Zealand, Singapore, Europe and Canada. Founded in 2019, Bizcap empowers businesses by offering approvals in as little as three hours, with same-day funding available. Bizcap has funded more than 100,000 businesses, totalling $5 billion globally, while holding a 4.8/5 Trustpilot rating.

Company Profile

£3 billion+

funding provided globally since inception

100,000+

small business loans funded globally

£1–£1.3 billion

funding the company is on track to provide in 2026 alone

7 global regions

Australia, the US, the UK, New Zealand, Singapore, Europe and Canada

3 hours

average time for approvals (same-day funding possible)

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“Business owners aren’t simply looking for capital. They’re looking for confidence that their lender understands their business and has made a considered decision”

Rhys Cunnah, Bizcap UK

“Rather than relying solely on historical metrics, we take the time to understand what’s happening inside the business today and what it’s trying to achieve tomorrow”

Zalman Blachman, Bizcap

Published 21 Oct 2026

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Zalman Blachman

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Rhys Cunnah

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Businesses aren’t spreadsheets. For Bizcap, the future of SME lending is a blend of human judgement and digital innovation

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

Sasha Berg Managing partner at Bizcap UK

YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY

BIZCAP UK

“Looking beyond the numbers doesn’t mean ignoring risk. It means taking a more complete view of it”

Sasha Berg, Bizcap UK

responsiveness and flexibility. And, from a streamlined application process through to fast decision-making and direct communication with experienced people, the team is focused on removing friction wherever they can. “Most importantly, we’re prepared to have conversations,” explains Blachman. “Rather than relying solely on historical metrics, we take the time to understand what’s happening inside the business today and what it’s trying to achieve tomorrow. That approach enables us to support many businesses that might otherwise struggle to access funding through traditional channels.” This commitment to going above and beyond for clients has played out again and again in real time with real results. Berg recalls one example involving a UK-based events management business that came to Bizcap under significant pressure after falling behind on its tax obligations. “The business had received a winding-up petition and another lender had withdrawn at the last minute, so on paper it would have been easy to focus purely on the risks. Instead, we looked beyond that single moment in time and assessed the underlying business. We could see a company with strong operations, confirmed future bookings and a viable path forward if it could access funding quickly. “That gave us the confidence to provide a £928,000 secured business loan, which enabled the business to clear its HMRC arrears, continue trading and protect jobs. “What that reinforced for me is that financial data tells you what has happened, but it doesn’t always explain why it happened or where a business is heading. Responsible lending isn’t about ignoring risk; it’s about understanding it properly. Sometimes the right decision only becomes clear when you combine the data with the context behind it.”

Bizcap UK

Zalman Blachman Co-founder and global co-CEO at Bizcap

YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY

Rhys Cunnah Chief commercial officer at Bizcap UK

YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY

Led and grew several businesses before joining Bizcap UK as managing partner in 2024.

Co-founded Bizcap in 2019, and has since expanded the business to seven global regions.

Worked extensively in commercial lending before joining Bizcap UK as chief commercial officer in 2024.

‘Fast decisions shouldn’t mean rushed decisions’In this space, time really is of the essence. For smaller businesses, the timescale between applying for a loan and getting the approval can be the difference between a business staying open and closing its doors for good. With speed becoming a key differentiator in commercial lending, it’s important for lenders to make fast decisions while balancing that with thoughtful, personalised assessments − something Bizcap has down to an art. “Those two elements should go hand in hand,” says Berg. “Historically, speed often came at the expense of quality because lending processes relied heavily on manual administration. Today, technology can handle much of that heavy lifting by gathering information, analysing data and streamlining workflows. That gives our credit team more time to focus on what actually matters: understanding the business itself. “Fast decisions shouldn’t mean rushed decisions. They should mean removing unnecessary delays while still applying sound judgement. For a small business owner, waiting several weeks for an answer can be just as damaging as receiving the wrong one. Our aim is to provide certainty quickly, while still ensuring every application receives the attention it deserves.” It’s here that the balance between AI and human judgement needs to be maintained. While technology can speed up the administrative side of the lending process, it’s the human-in-the-loop element that should sit at the core of the decision-making. “AI will undoubtedly reshape many aspects of lending,” agrees Rhys Cunnah, chief commercial officer at Bizcap UK. “It will continue improving risk modelling, automating routine processes and helping businesses receive decisions more quickly than ever before. What I don’t think will change is the importance of trust and judgement. “Business owners aren’t simply looking for capital. They’re looking for confidence that their lender understands their business and has made a considered decision. Those qualities are built through experience, accountability and relationships, not technology alone. “The firms that succeed won’t be those with the most advanced AI. They’ll be the ones that use technology to empower their people, allowing them to spend less time processing information and more time making thoughtful commercial decisions.”

Support for SMEs during tough times Dealing exclusively with SMEs, Bizcap’s team have seen first-hand the challenges smaller businesses have faced in the past few years. According to Bibby Financial Services’ SME Confidence Tracker, small UK businesses are under more and more pressure from the ongoing complex economic environment. Higher costs and inflation continue to plague SMEs, with 56% of small business owners citing those factors as the two main challenges they’re currently facing. The difficulty for lenders in this space is distinguishing between a business experiencing temporary setbacks and one facing more fundamental issues. “The first step is recognising that short-term disruption has become part of doing business for many SMEs,” explains Blachman. “A business may experience higher operating costs, delayed customer payments or changing market conditions without those issues reflecting its long-term viability. That’s why it’s important to look at trends rather than isolated moments. “We want to understand whether the business has adapted, whether management has responded effectively and whether the underlying demand for its products or services remains strong. We’re also looking at cash flow resilience, customer diversity and how the business plans to move forward. Ultimately, good lending decisions come from understanding trajectory rather than simply taking a snapshot in time.”

2019

2021

2024

2025

2026

Bizcap launches in Australia.

2019

Bizcap launches in New Zealand.

2021

Bizcap launches in the United Kingdom.

2024

Bizcap launches in Singapore and Luxembourg, expands lending into Germany, relaunches in Canada. Bizcap UK raises lending limit to £1 million.

2025

Bizcap UK lifts low-doc loan cap to £300,000 and introduces Working Capital Facility.

2026

Bizcap launches in the United States.

2026

Milestones

‘Our philosophy is to understand the whole picture’The future of lending isn’t about choosing between AI and people. It’s about using technology to make better, faster decisions while ensuring those decisions are still grounded in human experience and commercial judgement. “One difficult chapter doesn’t define their business,” adds Cunnah. “Behind every application is someone who’s built something, employed people, taken risks and worked hard to grow. Sometimes businesses encounter circumstances outside their control, and those moments shouldn’t automatically close the door on future opportunities. “Our philosophy is to understand the whole picture. We combine technology that helps us move quickly with experienced people who take the time to understand context, ask questions and make balanced decisions. “At the end of the day, we’re not simply assessing financial information. We’re assessing businesses run by real people, and we believe the best lending decisions are made when both the numbers and the story behind them are considered.”