Flend Raises $3m In Blended Equity And Debt In Seed Round To Scale Digital SME Finance Across Egypt

Flend, Egypt’s first fully digital SME financing platform regulated by the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA), has successfully raised US$3 million in its seed round through a combination of equity and debt financing.

The equity funding was led by Egypt Ventures and joined by Camel Ventures, Sukna Ventures, Plus VC, Banque Misr, and a number of regional family offices including El Sewedy and Baalbaki, in addition to strategic corporate banking stakeholders. On the debt front, Flend secured lending facilities from MSMEDA and several local banking institutions.

Founded by experts across banking, fintech, and development finance, Flend was established to address the systemic challenges that prevent Egyptian SMEs from accessing timely and reliable financing. Drawing on their cross-sector experience—from public policy to corporate lending and technology—the founding team developed a tech-forward, regulation-led platform aimed at streamlining capital access for SMEs, replacing outdated processes with real-time data and digital workflows.

The newly acquired capital will be directed toward scaling Flend’s embedded lending model through strategic partnerships with SME-focused platforms, expanding the team, and investing in its proprietary technology. The company is targeting Egypt’s US$50 billion SME credit gap, focusing on short-term working capital solutions.

Ahmed Zaki, Co-Founder and CEO, commented: “We’re grateful to have the backing of investors who share our vision. This funding enables us to meet SMEs where they are—integrated into the digital platforms they already use—delivering fast, fair, and flexible financing.”

“In just half a year, we’ve reduced approval times by 95%, digitized the entire loan process, and partnered with over 20 embedded platforms across logistics, digital payments, e-commerce, and marketplaces,” he added. “Our ambition is to deploy EGP 1 billion in SME financing within our first year.”

Abdelrahman Mansour, CEO of Egypt Ventures, stated: “Flend is building a critical bridge for SMEs that struggle to access capital. Their model has the potential to unlock widespread economic growth by leveraging digital tools at scale.”

Flend became the first FRA-licensed Digital Non-Banking Financial Institution (Digital NBFI) in Egypt focused on SME lending in late 2024. This license authorizes Flend to issue digital loans legally via e-signatures and online contracts—an essential step forward for Egypt’s fintech ecosystem.

Hasan Haider, Managing Partner at Plus VC, remarked: “Flend is solving a real and urgent challenge for SMEs—embedding finance into the platforms where business already happens. The model is scalable, the impact is significant, and the team has the expertise to execute.”

Nehal Helmy, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, added: “The FRA’s license affirms Egypt’s direction toward enabling responsible digital finance. We’re proud to deliver a transparent, efficient, and fully compliant alternative to traditional SME financing.”

Flend’s embedded model allows for direct integration into SME ecosystems and supply chains, cutting acquisition costs and enhancing credit assessment through real-time operational data. The company is actively channeling funds to critical sectors such as healthcare distribution, agriculture and food, manufacturing, retail, and export—reinforcing national development priorities and economic inclusion.

About Flend
Flend is the first fully digital, FRA-regulated SME financing platform in Egypt. The company offers fast, transparent, and tech-enabled working capital solutions to underserved SMEs. Its embedded finance model, regulatory alignment, and impact-driven approach position it to help close Egypt’s estimated US$50 billion SME financing gap.