In 2016, our founder saw a gap in the SME financing space: traditional banks were too slow and rigid, while alternative lenders lacked the technology to scale. YouLend was born in CTO Mark Ufland's bedroom with just seven employees, two computer screens, and a standing desk - driven by the belief that embedded finance would revolutionize how small businesses access capital. The insight was simple yet powerful: by integrating financing directly into the platforms merchants already use, we could close the funding gap that held back SME growth across Europe and beyond.
From those humble beginnings, YouLend has evolved into the leading global embedded financing platform, now live in 10+ countries across the UK, Europe, and the USA. We've powered over 370,000 businesses with £9 billion in SME revenue, partnering with industry giants like Amazon, eBay, Shopify, Just Eat, and Mollie to embed flexible funding solutions directly into their ecosystems. Our AI-driven credit risk assessment and white-label technology enable platforms to offer financing in their own branding - without taking on capital risk. As we continue our journey of 100% year-on-year growth since 2020, backed by EQT Private Equity, we remain focused on our mission: enabling every small to medium-sized business to grow to its full potential through fair, fast, and flexible finance.
