Celtic Bank and Casca Partner to Automate SBA 7(a) Loans for Small Businesses

Celtic Bank announced a partnership with AI startup Casca on April 29, 2026, to automate its Small Business Administration (SBA) 7(a) loan origination process. The bank intends to utilize Casca’s AI-native platform to scale its SBA 7(a) portfolio, increase conversion rates, and grow loan volume.

The integration is designed to reduce manual origination effort while providing a digital experience for borrowers. According to the announcement, the bank selected Casca due to the platform’s ability to scale and its rapid deployment capabilities.

The implementation timeline for the new system was completed in a matter of weeks, moving from contract to configuration. This contrasts with traditional loan origination system implementations, which the company stated can take a year or more.

Celtic Bank has been a top-ten U.S. SBA 7(a) lender since 2013. As an SBA Preferred Lender, the institution possesses the authority to approve loans without requiring additional review from the SBA, a status that allows the bank to move quickly on small-dollar lending opportunities.

The Casca platform focuses on compressing origination timelines by simplifying the application process. The technology converts complex SBA forms—specifically forms 1919, 413, and 159—into an intuitive, step-by-step digital flow.

This digital transition aims to eliminate the manual errors and the repetitive communication between lenders and borrowers that typically slow down traditional loan origination.

By streamlining the borrower experience, Celtic Bank intends to convert a higher percentage of applicants into funded loans. The bank described the digital process as guiding borrowers through the application in a manner similar to how TurboTax guides taxpayers through a tax return.