Pezesha showcases at the 4th Nation Media Group SME Expo and Conference
Pezesha recently participated in the 4th SME Expo and Conference held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) from the 15th of March to the 17th of March 2023 in partnership with Nation Media Group and the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI). The three-day event brought together small business owners, policymakers, parastatal heads, and business leaders under the theme of "Accelerating the MSMEs Growth through Adoption of Technology and Innovation."
The event kicked off with a multi-stakeholder conference where issues affecting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) were highlighted, discussed, and shaped into policy directions critical to the development and growth of the SME sector. Our team took the opportunity to share our mission, in line with the theme of providing affordable working capital to underserved SMEs in Kenya through our digital ecosystem and preventing them from falling into the "missing middle."
At the expo, we launched our new Pezesha 2.0 App, which will make it easier and faster for more SMEs to access financing and get instant business loans. The platform offers a holistic marketplace that provides credit, literacy courses, and debt counseling. As SMEs pay on time, they will unlock higher credit limits up the Pezesha ladder. The platform also supports SMEs that don't qualify for credit by providing them with digital tools to build a strong credit score.
The Pezesha 2.0 App received positive feedback from SMEs who tested it during the event
"I had an amazing experience interacting with the Pezesha Marketplace App. It felt like a personal journey as I downloaded the app, registered my business details, and received my credit score and loan limit in just a few moments. I believe I have found the right partner in growing my business," Chebet, Business Owner.
Pezesha's innovative approach to SME financing has enabled over 100,000 MSME loans in Kenya, with 60% of the businesses being women-led. Our holistic approach also offers financial education and digital support systems to SMEs to help them prosper beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
Players in the SMEs ecosystem also lauded our innovative approach to alleviating the financing challenges of SMEs in Kenya through our robust credit scoring, Patascore, which provides precise credit decision-making to prevent MSMEs from becoming over-indebted. We built more partnerships as a result, further bolstering our efforts to enable access to capital for more businesses.
“Pezesha's innovative approach to SME financing is causing a revolution in the digital economy. The ability of a business owner to apply for credit and receive funding in just a few minutes is remarkable. As more small businesses adopt digital technology, Pezesha is leveraging this mindset shift to make financing even more accessible. It's exciting to see how Pezesha is changing the game and making it easier for SMEs to access the capital they need to grow and thrive,” Bank of Baroda
The event was indeed a successful one, as we networked with various industry players and small business owners, some of whom had lost hope in seeking financing to keep their businesses alive. Pezesha continues to take a collaborative approach where banks, MicroFinance Institutions (MFIs), and other financial institutions or networks can connect on our platform to be matched with quality credit-scored Small & Medium Businesses (SMBs) across the value chain driving meaningful financial inclusion. We remain committed to supporting SMEs to grow further in 2023 and beyond, as they are the biggest driver in pushing the country's economy forward.
Interested in partnering with us? Email us at [email protected].