Finance built for the people banks leave behind.
RiseUP was founded by Jackson Cypryan and Pierre van Wyk with a clear purpose: to make responsible, accessible finance available to the people and communities that traditional banking systems routinely overlook.
We saw the same pattern everywhere.
We started RiseUP because we saw the same pattern everywhere — hardworking individuals, small groups, and emerging entrepreneurs locked out of capital not because they lack ability or integrity, but because they lack the formal track record, collateral, or paperwork that conventional lenders demand. We decided to build something different.
Together we combined practical field knowledge with institutional-grade systems thinking to create a microfinance model that is both human and scalable — a purpose-built institution created by practitioners who understand both the realities of underserved communities and the discipline required to run a sustainable financial business.
Built by practitioners, not spectators.
Jackson Cypryan
Co-founderJackson brings deep operational experience in community finance, group dynamics, and on-the-ground delivery — the field knowledge that keeps RiseUP grounded in the realities of the communities it serves.
Pierre van Wyk
Co-founderPierre brings extensive experience in structured finance, property-backed lending, platform development, and regulatory navigation across Southern Africa — the institutional discipline that lets RiseUP scale responsibly.
We exist to help people rise.
Through access to capital, through stronger groups, and through financial tools that treat them with dignity.
Jackson Cypryan & Pierre van Wyk — Founders, RiseUP Microfinance
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