Foro Holdings Inc. Strengthens Position in SMB Lending Through Citi's Bridge Platform Integration and Multi-Investor Capital Round

Foro Holdings Inc., a Charlotte-based commercial lending services provider, has successfully completed a transformative transaction that positions the company as a major player in the digital lending ecosystem. The acquisition of Bridge, Citi’s innovative digital lending platform, marks a significant milestone in democratizing capital access for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) across the United States.

Strategic Transaction Reshapes Digital Lending Landscape

The transaction structure reflects strong confidence from multiple institutional investors. Beyond Citi’s contribution of the Bridge platform to Foro, the financial institution maintains its position as a minority investor and has joined existing backers TTV Capital, US Bank, and Correlation Ventures in injecting additional capital. This coordinated investment strategy underscores the market opportunity in bridging SMBs with diverse lending sources.

Citi, which operates as a major player on the nasdaq exchange through its parent company, maintains strategic involvement through board-level representation. Tasnim Ghiawadwala, Global Head of Citi Commercial Bank, has assumed a board seat at Foro, ensuring ongoing alignment between the organizations.

Leadership Continuity Drives Platform Evolution

The transition preserves institutional knowledge through the appointment of Bridge’s founding architects to Foro’s executive leadership. Rohit Mathur and Harte Thompson, who collectively accumulated two decades of experience within Citi’s operations, now serve as Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer respectively. This continuity ensures the platform’s vision remains intact while benefiting from Foro’s commercial lending infrastructure.

Platform Expansion and Market Penetration

Bridge has demonstrated substantial growth since its 2021 inception, expanding its lender network from an initial 18 partners to over 75 financial institutions nationwide. The platform’s digitalization approach addresses a critical market inefficiency: it simultaneously expands SMBs’ access to capital options while providing lenders with enhanced prospecting capabilities without requiring independent technology infrastructure investment.

The capital infusion enables Foro to accelerate platform scaling and extend services to underserved lending segments, including community development financial institutions (CDFIs), regional banks, and alternative lenders. Additionally, Bridge has already cultivated relationships with major retail corporations, enabling their vendor networks to access customized lending solutions through the platform.

Market Efficiency Through Digital Infrastructure

The Bridge platform embodies a solution to longstanding challenges in commercial lending. By digitally connecting borrowers with a diverse array of lenders, the system creates efficiency gains on both sides of the transaction. Borrowers gain transparent access to multiple financing alternatives, while lenders expand their customer acquisition reach without building proprietary technology systems.

Citi’s continued partnership, including connectivity with its Diverse Financial Institutions Group, reinforces the platform’s position within a broader financial services ecosystem committed to inclusive capital access.

This transaction reflects broader trends in fintech-enabled financial services, where institutional players leverage digital platforms to create market liquidity and expand economic opportunity for underserved business segments.