Here’s a quick overview of how Liberis is democratizing access to business capital:

Part one in our four-part series on Liberis’ small business-first innovation roadmap.

In a financial landscape where 80 percent of small businesses are rejected for funding and 58 percent report unmet financing needs, traditional credit systems continue to exclude those who need capital the most.

At Liberis, we are challenging this status quo through our “No Merchant Left Behind” ethos. By delivering finance without limits, we aim to ensure that every small business owner can access the funding they need, when they need it.

Finance without limits is an approach to SMB funding that removes traditional barriers by using data, AI, and embedded finance to expand access.

Instead of relying solely on credit history, this model focuses on:

• Real-time business performance
• Future growth potential
• Alternative and multi-source data

The result is a more inclusive funding system that supports a broader range of businesses.

Traditional lending creates a cycle that is difficult for many SMBs to escape. Without credit history, businesses cannot access funding. Without funding, they cannot grow and build that history.

Finance without limits is designed to break this cycle through a set of product innovations that expand access and improve funding accuracy.

Standard forecasting models do not reflect the diversity of SMBs. Businesses grow in different ways, whether through steady performance, rapid expansion, or seasonal demand.

Liberis uses machine learning models that adapt to each business individually by analysing:

• Real-time revenue data
• Cash flow patterns
• Order volumes and trading behaviour

This allows funding offers to be aligned with future performance rather than historical limitations.

Key outcomes

• Higher funding offers for growing businesses
• Greater flexibility for seasonal businesses
• More accurate and personalised funding decisions

For early-stage businesses and entrepreneurs, access to funding is often limited due to a lack of credit history.

Starter Capital is designed to address this challenge by using alternative data and AI models to assess potential rather than relying solely on traditional metrics.

This enables:

• Access to initial funding for businesses with limited credit history
• Support for start-up costs and early growth investment
• A pathway toward larger funding opportunities over time

This approach unlocks funding for a significantly broader segment of SMBs, helping break the “no credit” cycle.

Modern SMBs often operate across multiple platforms and revenue channels, from e-commerce marketplaces to in-person sales and delivery services.

Liberis uses open banking and partner data to build a complete view of each business.

How it works

• Multiple revenue streams are combined into a single funding profile
• SMBs can connect accounts during the application process
• Offers are tailored based on the full financial picture

Impact

• Average funding offers increase by 25 percent¹
• Some businesses see increases of up to 230 percent¹

This approach ensures that businesses are assessed based on their full potential rather than partial data.

Liberis’ small business-first approach delivers strong commercial benefits for partners, including platforms and payment providers.

Key benefits

• Expanded eligibility across the merchant base, with up to 99 percent coverage unlocked
• Higher conversion through real-time decisioning and embedded funding
• Stronger retention driven by improved customer experience
• Access to a multi-product funding proposition

By embedding Liberis solutions, partners can offer funding that meets merchants exactly where they are.

The impact of expanded funding access is reflected in business performance.

• Merchants receiving Liberis funding see an average revenue increase of 11 percent after their first round¹
• Even businesses using funding for non-growth activities see a 5 percent increase¹

Long-term relationships with businesses, such as Two Magpies Bakery, demonstrate how initial funding can evolve into expansion capital over time.

Traditional lending models rely heavily on credit scores and historical data, limiting access for many SMBs.

Liberis introduces a different approach:

• AI-driven decisioning based on future growth
• Use of alternative and multi-source data
• Embedded funding delivered within partner platforms
• A focus on long-term business growth rather than one-off transactions

Access to capital should not be limited by outdated systems or incomplete data.

By combining AI, alternative data, and embedded finance, Liberis is expanding access to funding and enabling more small businesses to grow.

This is finance without limits—designed to support every business, at every stage of its journey.

In the next instalment, we explore how Liberis is removing friction from SMB funding through automation and delivering funding at the speed of business.

• Embedded finance - Financial services integrated directly into a platform or product experience
• AI-driven decisioning - The use of machine learning to assess risk and predict business performance
• Open banking - Secure access to financial data used to inform funding decisions
• Alternative data - Non-traditional data sources used to evaluate business performance