LeaseQ, an online marketplace serving the equipment finance industry, announced a partnership with alternative lending platform Fund Simple, a source for small and medium-size businesses to obtain loans.

The strategic pairing of LeaseQ’s automated equipment financing platform and Fund Simple’s diverse customer base ensures that more borrowers, regardless of equipment type or credit profile, can shop for and secure the best financing option for their business.

“Equipment financing is a highly-fractured industry, and we pride ourselves in being experts who help borrowers, lenders and vendors navigate the messiness,” said Vernon Tirey, LeaseQ co-founder and CEO. “Our partnership with Fund Simple underscores our focus on professionalism, and allows us to reach more borrowers, with more financing options both online and on the dealer floor.”

Investment in business equipment and software is expected to grow 4.1% in 2015, according to a Q4 market report from the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation. In fact, the equipment financing industry is growing consistently year over year, with new deal originations expected to top $1 trillion in 2015. With a cloud-based, automated platform and instant quotes, LeaseQ is attempting to capitalize on the growth of the market, connecting lenders and equipment sellers in over 30 vertical equipment markets with small business borrowers in all credit classes looking to expand, while preserving cash flow.

“LeaseQ’s automation in equipment financing gives us a level of diversity and transparency we can offer our end-merchant and vendor clients,” said Douglas Rovello, Fund Simple’s CFO. “The partnership benefits all parties involved, because we’re now offering a product and a program on a customized platform that no one else out there is offering.”