Through the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (Dedat), the partnership will provide businesses with access to Finfind's online funding-matching platform through the department's website.
Finfind matches MSMEs seeking finance with potential funders based on their funding requirements. Its database includes more than 300 government, bank and private funders and more than 600 finance products, covering debt, equity, grants, incentives and asset funding.
The fund-matching service will be available to Western Cape MSMEs at no cost.
Darlene Menzies, CEO of Finfind, says the partnership is intended to address the difficulty many entrepreneurs face when trying to identify suitable funding and understand the requirements of different funders.
“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,” says Menzies.
Funding challenges facing Western Cape MSMEs
Data from Finfind's nationally representative dataset, which underpins the SA MSME Access to Finance Report 2025, highlights several barriers facing businesses seeking finance in the Western Cape.
According to the data, 83.2% of MSMEs applying for funding in the province have annual turnover below R1m. These businesses account for 83.1% of permanent jobs in the Western Cape MSME sector.
More than half (51.5%) of funding applicants have been operating for more than three years, while 52.2% have no collateral available.
The data also points to challenges around financial documentation. Some 65.3% of applicants are unable to provide their latest annual financial statements, while 63.4% report having no formal accounting system.
Finfind says these factors can create barriers when businesses encounter lending models with documentation-heavy requirements.
Under the agreement, Dedat will add an “Apply for Funding” button to its website. Businesses will then be directed to an onboarding process through Finfind, with the aim of matching them with potential funders and providing information on what they need to qualify.
The platform also verifies business owner and company information against the Department of Home Affairs and the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), according to Finfind.
The partnership will also involve coordination 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.
Dr Ivan Meyer, Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, says improving access to business support is one of his priorities.
“Partnerships like this strengthens our ability to connect MSMEs with practical support that directly enables growth. By making a credible access-to-finance pathway available through the Department’s digital channels, we are reducing barriers and helping more businesses take the next step towards funding and potential expansion,” says Meyer.
