"As we see more companies attempting to bridge the financing gap for SMEs, business owners are seeking alternative lending companies that are able to massively improve the quality of funding services. Alternative lenders are simply any non-bank lender. These lenders can most often be found online, as they don’t have physical storefronts like the banks."
https://medium.com/@BitPopulous/fintech-the-future-for-sme-funding-febf2395ba1