Uplinq Financial Technologies has partnered with Ernst & Young (EY) to introduce credit lending to small and medium-sized businesses. Using advanced analytics and Uplinq’s decision-making modules, the integrated solution aims to transform the lending landscape, the companies said. Mario Schlener, EY partner and lead risk consultant for Canada, said the collaboration will use an analytics approach to aid decision-making and boost profitability for lenders. “EY Canada looks forward to working with Uplinq to help small business lenders assess credit risk in a much smarter way,” Schlener said. Uplinq uses a credit assessment platform that looks beyond traditional credit bureaus’ financial data, according to the press release. By leveraging billions of alternative data sets from 150 countries, Uplinq enables lenders to consider factors such as market, community, and environmental conditions. This approach allows lenders to understand the entire ecosystem of a business and loan applicant.