LiftForward

LiftForward, founded in 2013, operates as a financial technology company providing an embedded finance platform that powers subscription and financing programs for major brands, merchants, and financial institutions. The company is spearheaded by President and CEO Jeffrey Rogers, who brought over two decades of experience in finance, technology, and e-commerce to the firm. His background includes roles as an investment banker at Deutsche Bank, president of the alternative financing provider Behalf, Inc., and a JD/MBA, a foundation that influenced the company's direction in filling the capital gap for small and medium-sized businesses, particularly after the post-recession credit crunch.

The core of LiftForward's business is its software platform that enables companies to offer their products as a service, a model often referred to as Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS) or Device-as-a-Service (DaaS). This service allows customers to pay for products, such as technology hardware, via affordable monthly subscriptions rather than large upfront costs. This model is designed to increase sales for its partners and foster long-term customer relationships. The company generates revenue through transaction fees processed on its platform, functioning on a model similar to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).

LiftForward's platform provides an end-to-end solution that includes point-of-sale software, white-labeled e-commerce integration, inventory management, and customer analytics reporting. A key feature is its proprietary underwriting technology, called 'LiftScore', which analyzes numerous data points to generate a credit score and make lending decisions in minutes. This technology looks beyond traditional credit scores to assess the overall financial health of a business. The platform is designed to be flexible, connecting brands and merchants with a network of lenders. In some cases, partners bring their own banking relationships, and LiftForward provides the technology layer to facilitate the financing.

A significant milestone for LiftForward was its partnership with Microsoft, which began in the company's early years. Initially, LiftForward's technology was integrated into Microsoft's retail stores to support financing for Surface products. This collaboration expanded to include programs like Surface Plus for Business (now Surface All Access for Business) and Xbox All Access, enabling customers to acquire Microsoft hardware through monthly payment plans. Beyond Microsoft, LiftForward works with other major brands and retailers, including a partnership with RBC for IKEA in Canada, and is a member of the Mastercard Engage partner network, which helps accelerate the launch of installment payment programs for lenders.

Keywords: embedded finance, hardware-as-a-service, device-as-a-service, subscription financing, point-of-sale financing, lending platform, fintech, small business loans, asset-based lending, buy now pay later, BNPL platform, e-commerce financing, customer financing, Microsoft partnership, Jeffrey Rogers, marketplace lending, payment solutions, subscription management, retail financing, tech leasing, financial software