YouLend and Intuit to power embedded SME funding in UK

YouLend has partnered with Intuit to provide embedded working capital to QuickBooks business customers in the UK, marking the launch of Intuit UK’s new Capital Marketplace.

Announced in London on 3 February, the collaboration sees YouLend selected as a launch partner for the marketplace, which connects QuickBooks users with financing providers offering term funding, lines of credit, and alternative capital solutions. The move reflects growing demand for embedded finance models that integrate lending directly into software platforms used by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The offering enables eligible businesses to access funding within the QuickBooks environment, using existing business data to streamline underwriting. Funding decisions are typically delivered within 24 hours, with repayments structured to flex in line with future sales. During a pilot in 2025, customers accessed facilities ranging from £1,000 to £2 million. The programme is now entering full national rollout across the UK.

The initiative comes amid persistent financing constraints for UK SMEs. According to new research from Intuit, 40% of UK entrepreneurs cite access to capital as a barrier to growth. A majority (71%) rely on personal savings to fund operations, while 18% report concerns about rising borrowing costs. Micro-businesses are particularly affected, being 40–70% more likely to abandon traditional lending applications due to lengthy or complex processes.

Embedded finance models seek to address these frictions by reducing reliance on standalone lenders and minimising application requirements. Eligibility for the QuickBooks-linked programme begins from three months of trading, broadening access for early-stage firms.

Dan Sinclair-Taylor, Strategic Partnerships Lead at YouLend, said the integration aims to simplify funding pathways for small businesses. “By embedding our capital experience inside QuickBooks, we’re giving small businesses a clearer, faster route to check their eligibility and secure funding. The process has been designed to remove friction, so customers know where they stand before they even apply,” he said.

Leigh Thomas, Vice President of EMEA at Intuit, described the Capital Marketplace as an extension of the company’s broader SME platform strategy. “Embedding a Capital Marketplace directly into the Intuit platform removes friction for QuickBooks customers, offering them faster access to funding via key partners, without impacting credit scores,” she said, adding that personalised offers and pre-qualification alerts are designed to support informed borrowing decisions.

YouLend has provided financing to more than 370,000 businesses globally through partnerships with commerce, software and payments platforms. The UK rollout underscores the continued expansion of embedded lending within accounting and payments ecosystems, as FinTech firms and software providers seek to integrate capital access more directly into daily business workflows.