Say hello to Lemon 👋
At Lemon, we help SaaS companies and their customers solve a simple problem: paying for software shouldn't be painful.
Software has eaten the world
Every business, from startups to enterprises, depends on it for everything. Managing projects. Handling finances. Talking to customers. And with AI reshaping how we work, businesses need more software than ever before.
There's just one catch: software is expensive. Whilst annual contracts and multi-year deals can unlock discounts, they also create real cashflow challenges for software buyers. Many businesses find themselves choosing between the tools they need and the financial flexibility they want.
That's where we come in
We built a platform specifically for software financing that works for everyone. Companies can spread their software contracts over simple monthly or quarterly payments. No hassle, no complex paperwork. SaaS providers get paid upfront, maintaining healthy cash flow. Their customers get the flexibility to pay over time.
Lemon works with a network of lending partners - from banks to specialised financial institutions. This means we can find the best possible deal for each software purchase by matching buyers with lenders based on their company profile, location, and specific contract terms. No one-size-fits-all approach. Just the right financing option for each situation.
Building Lemon
Our story so far
From startup idea to growing fintech platform
Lemon was started in 2023 in Manchester by cofounders Matt Bird and James Lewis. Now headquartered in London, we're building something special.
The backstory
Every founder knows the challenge: the software that could transform your business often feels just out of reach. We experienced this firsthand while building and growing our previous companies. The tools that could accelerate growth were there, but the upfront costs made them unaffordable.
Then came their lightbulb moment: what if we could bring the flexibility of "buy now, pay later" to the B2B software world?
Founded in 2023
Instead of following the typical startup lending model - raising large amounts of debt to fund loans - we built a platform that connects software buyers with established lending partners. Think of it as a smart financial matchmaking service.
The vision quickly gained momentum. In April 2024, we raised £500,000 in pre-seed funding, led by SFC Capital alongside Pitchdrive. With technical leadership from CTO Matt Parke, who joined in spring 2024, we built the initial platform.
Our partnership with Shawbrook Bank in October 2024 marked a major milestone. As Philipa Pykett, Head of Digital SME Growth at Shawbrook Bank, put it: "Lemon's mission of providing small businesses with the purchasing power of much larger organisations is something we recognise and are happy to support."
In 2025, we expanded our lending network by partnering with Siemens Financial Services, giving our customers even more options for financing their software purchases.
We're just getting started. Our mission is to make great software accessible to every business that needs it.
The team
Matt Bird
• Co-Founder / CEOSerial entrepreneur in the recurring payments space. Third time founder.
James Lewis
• Co-Founder / CPOExperienced in building and scaling B2B technology businesses.
Matt Parke
• CTOSeasoned hands-on engineer who has led teams and worked across many sectors including financial services.
Shubhanga Prasad
• Lending OperationsHas built digital products in the banking, fintech & enterprise SaaS space.
Matt Baker
• Financial partnerships USA
