Bridging Finance
Bridging Finance Inc. was a Toronto-based private credit firm (founded 2012) that provided alternative financing to middle-market Canadian companies through private debt funds, managing C$2.09 billion at peak before collapsing into receivership in April 2021 with C$1.3 billion in investor losses.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Bridging Finance does
Bridging Finance Inc. was a Toronto-based private credit firm founded in 2012 that provided alternative financing to middle-market Canadian companies, positioning itself as a non-bank lender distinct from traditional lenders. The firm operated as a fund manager, running at least four private debt funds that originated loans to limited partnerships and real estate borrowers in the Canadian market. As a private credit manager, revenue would historically have been generated through management fees on assets under management and performance fees on the funds it administered, though specific pricing terms were not publicly disclosed.
At its peak, Bridging Finance managed approximately C$2.09 billion in assets under management, and its go-to-market targeted accredited investors and institutional clients via private placement memoranda and private wealth channels. The firm operated with a lean team of 1-10 employees under founder David Sharpe (former CEO), who controlled the privately held entity with no disclosed parent company or institutional shareholders.
The firm collapsed in April 2021 when the Ontario Superior Court of Justice placed Bridging Finance Inc. and all its assets into receivership, appointing PricewaterhouseCoopers as court-appointed receiver. Investors lost approximately C$1.3 billion of the C$2.09 billion in managed assets, and as of March 2025 the receiver had recovered approximately C$317 million. Subsequent regulatory and legal fallout includes OSC enforcement action against auditor KPMG seeking up to C$40 million in penalties for alleged 2019-2020 audit failures, and upheld fraud findings against former CEO David Sharpe, with the founders ordered to repay over C$20 million.
Bridging Finance firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bridging Finance
- Legal name
- Bridging Finance Inc.
- Website
- https://bridgingfinance.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Bridging Finance Inc. was a Toronto-based private credit firm (founded 2012) that provided alternative financing to middle-market Canadian companies through private debt funds, managing C$2.09 billion at peak before collapsing into receivership in April 2021 with C$1.3 billion in investor losses.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bridging Finance industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Credit / Alternative Lending
- NAICS
- Other Nondepository Credit Intermediation (52229)
- SIC
- Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Middle-Market Lending (FSANADAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Private Credit / Direct Lending (FSAAAHAG)
Keywords
Where Bridging Finance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Bridging Finance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Bridging Finance product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bridging Finance was a private credit/debt management firm that managed private debt funds providing alternative financing to middle-market Canadian companies underserved by traditional lenders. The firm operated at least four funds with approximately C$2.09 billion in AUM, offering lending to limited partnerships and real estate borrowers before being placed into receivership in April 2021.
Product overview
Bridging Finance was a private credit/debt management firm offering a unified set of investment funds. The company managed multiple private debt funds (at least four funds were referenced) that provided financing solutions, including lending to limited partnerships and real estate loans. The firm operated with approximately $2.09 billion in assets under management before being placed into court-appointed receivership in April 2021, resulting in investor losses of approximately $1.3 billion of the $2.09 billion managed.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Private Debt Funds
Companies that use Bridging Finance
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles2 records
Bridging Finance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Bridging Finance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)corePwC was appointed as the court-appointed receiver of Bridging Finance Inc. following the company's collapse in April 2021. PwC has been overseeing the wind-down of the firm's assets and has pursued legal action against KPMG for alleged audit failures, seeking $1.4 billion on behalf of investors.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves4 records
Bridging Finance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC): Canadian Crown corporation providing financing and capital to Canadian SMEs. Serves as a broad incumbent in the same middle-market lending space Bridging Finance targeted, though with a different mandate and structure.
- goeasy: Canadian alternative consumer and small business lender offering installment loans and lease-to-own products. Comparable non-bank alternative-financing positioning to Bridging Finance's middle-market mandate.
- Fairstone Financial: Large Canadian non-bank lender offering consumer and small business loans, overlapping with Bridging Finance's alternative-financing positioning to underserved borrowers.
Direct peers
- Third Eye Capital: Toronto-based alternative credit manager providing senior debt, second-lien, and special situations financing to Canadian middle-market companies. Directly comparable to Bridging Finance's lending model and target borrower segment.
- Romspen Investment Corp: Canadian private mortgage lender specializing in non-bank lending to commercial real estate and middle-market borrowers. Closely comparable to Bridging Finance on alternative-financing focus and Canadian real estate exposure.
- CMLS Financial: One of Canada's largest non-bank mortgage lenders, providing alternative financing to real estate borrowers across Canada with comparable exposure to the middle-market and bridge loan space.
- Bloomfin (formerly Bloom Funds): Toronto-based private credit and special situations fund manager providing alternative financing solutions to Canadian middle-market companies. Closely comparable mandate to Bridging Finance's pre-collapse lending strategy.
- Timbercreek Financial: Canadian specialty finance company providing bespoke lending solutions to real estate investors and developers. Overlaps with Bridging Finance on middle-market, non-bank lending focus.
- Firm Capital Corporation: Canadian real estate and middle-market mortgage lender focused on bridge financing. Operates in a similar product set and borrower profile as Bridging Finance.
Emerging players
- Sprott Resource Lending: Canadian-based resource lending business managed by Sprott Inc., providing senior secured loans to mid-market resource companies. Thematic overlap with Bridging Finance's alternative-lending model, though focused on a narrower sector.
Market position
Strengths2 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights3 records
Customer concentration
Bridging Finance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bridging Finance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Bridging Finance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bridging Finance M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bridging Finance
What does Bridging Finance do?
Bridging Finance was a private credit/debt management firm that managed private debt funds providing alternative financing to middle-market Canadian companies underserved by traditional lenders. The firm operated at least four funds with approximately C$2.09 billion in AUM, offering lending to limited partnerships and real estate borrowers before being placed into receivership in April 2021.
Is Bridging Finance a public or private company?
Bridging Finance is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently closed.
When was Bridging Finance founded?
Bridging Finance was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Bridging Finance based?
Bridging Finance is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
Who are Bridging Finance's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), goeasy and Fairstone Financial. Direct peers are Third Eye Capital, Romspen Investment Corp, CMLS Financial, Bloomfin (formerly Bloom Funds), Timbercreek Financial and Firm Capital Corporation. Sprott Resource Lending is listed as an emerging player.
Does Bridging Finance have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bridging Finance.
What industry is Bridging Finance in?
Bridging Finance's product category is Private Credit / Alternative Lending. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANADAI, Middle-Market Lending, with a secondary code of FSAAAHAG, Private Credit / Direct Lending. Its NAICS code is 52229 and its SIC code is 6153.