In today’s fast-paced financial landscape, loan originators need asset-based financing from institutional investors to grow their portfolios. However, the traditional fundraising process and ongoing tasks associated with managing debt facilities are operationally intensive, error-prone, and slow. Cascade set out to change that by developing an Asset-Based Credit Diligence and Risk Mitigation platform, transforming how Originators handle data validation and analysis, bringing much-needed transparency and speed to the industry.

Innovation in Asset-Based Finance

Traditional processes in asset-based finance have often relied on labor-intensive manual data verification, which can be both time-consuming and error-prone.

Cascade recognized these limitations, which not only stalled growth within the asset class but also presented a significant barrier for new origination platforms to grow. To address these challenges, Cascade developed a platform to change how data is validated, analyzed, and managed, enabling enhanced efficiency and scalability.

The platform offers independently verified data, significantly improving trust, transparency, and collaboration among counterparties. Cascade helps investors and originators accelerate the growth of assets under management (AUM) and debt capital while reducing the risks and operational burden by streamlining the complex due diligence and loan management processes.

A Testament to Excellence

Cascade's innovations and their profound impact on the financial ecosystem have earned them global recognition. Most notably, in 2024, Cascade was a recipient of the prestigious Global SME Finance Award, solidifying its position as a market leader in asset-based finance. This award highlights Cascade’s leadership in delivering

cutting-edge solutions that solve critical inefficiencies in the sector. Winning this accolade not only underscores their commitment to innovation but also validates the trust and value they provide to the asset-based lending community worldwide. The award serves as a reflection of Cascade's mission to drive transparency, efficiency, and collaboration through technology.

What sets Cascade apart?

Cascade was built by two former private credit investors who truly understand the operational challenges that come with running and scaling a global fund. They built Cascade as a solution designed specifically for asset-based finance and complex debt that can support a broad range of structures, including simple on-balance sheet loans, off-balance sheet loans, and securitizations.

The platform’s unmatched precision stems from Cascade's principles-first approach to data. Instead of investors relying on self-reported portfolio data, Cascade recalculates all critical data points independently. This neutral, third-party verification enhances transparency and builds trust, allowing all parties to operate on reliable information. Cascade also distinguishes itself by offering global coverage, enabling users to seamlessly capture opportunities in emerging markets and manage an international portfolio.

“Cascade makes analyzing your portfolio incredibly easy, intuitive, and provides tons of attribution to understand where performance (or lack thereof) is coming from. The team is also super responsive and extremely knowledgeable. We use the software daily.” - Verified Review on G2

The Scale of Cascade's Operations

Cascade has rapidly expanded, with over 75 customers across 20 countries. Clients range from fintech lending companies to institutional private credit investors, showcasing the versatility and broad applicability of the platform. This global scale validates the robustness of Cascade's solution and allows for continuous improvement through the insights gathered from a broad spectrum of use cases.

Who Uses Cascade and Why

Both private credit investors and originators use Cascade’s platform.

For private credit investors, it provides robust analytics, real-time monitoring, and a comprehensive suite of tools for due diligence, structuring, and managing deals.

Cascade supports various investor types, including institutional investors, venture debt funds, Development Financial Institutions (DFIs), impact investors, and banks.

For originators, Cascade provides tools to handle investor requests and manage loan operations efficiently. Cascade supports a diverse group of assets, including small business loans, consumer loans, auto leases, and more.

“Whether you're an investor or a fintech, Cascade is all you need. The founding team come from a private credit and lender finance background that makes them the most knowledgeable data analytics and facility management solution in this space. They are always available to provide support, especially with valuable insights during due diligence and underwriting. The credit facility monitoring tools allow us to have fantastic real-time insight into our investments which has a massive impact on our risk management capabilities.” - AJ Davidson, CEO, SixPoint Capital

Overcoming Challenges in Development

Developing a globally adaptable platform for asset-based credit is inherently challenging, given the complex nature of the asset class. One of the primary hurdles was creating a standard data schema that could work across various financial products and geographies. Cascade needed to design a system that was flexible enough to accommodate a broad range of structures, from SME term loans to complex multi-disbursement products, while also maintaining scalability for future product innovations.

Through extensive collaboration with industry experts and rigorous testing, Cascade developed a schema capable of handling this broad spectrum of financial transactions with high data integrity. Balancing standardization with the flexibility to meet diverse customer needs was no small feat. Still, it was a challenge Cascade was committed to solving for the benefit of its clients and the industry’s growth.

Opportunities on the Horizon

Looking ahead, Cascade sees enormous opportunities in what can be described as: the age of private credit. As the private credit sector matures, increased transaction volume and complexity will demand a greater focus on risk mitigation and operational efficiency. Cascade is uniquely positioned to meet these demands with its ability to provide independently verified data and advanced automation and reporting capabilities.

Their vision for the next decade is to be the go-to solution for data management and analytics across the private credit lifecycle. Cascade aims to continue to drive greater transparency, efficiency, and collaboration by offering an all-inclusive solution, helping stakeholders make informed decisions while minimizing risk. Cascade is committed to being at the forefront of asset-based finance innovation, shaping the future of private credit with technology that empowers investors and originators alike.

The Founding Team

Mike Shum and Kyle Meade founded Cascade in 2022. This is their third joint venture and builds upon their prior work at EFL (eventually LenddoEFL) and Accial Capital. At EFL, they were pioneering alternative credit scores—a game changer that empowered originators globally to increase lending to small and medium-sized businesses. Notably, EFL was an SME Finance Forum Award recipient in 2011, further demonstrating the team's established track record of driving game-changing innovations.