Flend, Egypt’s first fully digital SME lending platform regulated by the Financial Regulatory Authority, has closed a $3 million seed funding round, structured as a blend of equity and debt financing.
The equity portion was led by Egypt Ventures, joined by Camel Ventures, Sukna Ventures, Plus VC, Banque Misr, and prominent family offices such as El Sewedy and Baalbaki. The debt component was secured through lending facilities from MSMEDA and several local banks.
Flend is licensed by Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority as a Digital Non‑Banking Financial Institution, enabling it to issue fully digital working capital loans using e‑signatures and online contracts without the need for physical paperwork.
The platform integrates with more than twenty embedded digital platforms used by SMEs across sectors such as agriculture, healthcare logistics, e‑commerce, manufacturing, retail, and export. This embedded finance model enables financing to be delivered within the environments where SMEs conduct business, significantly reducing friction in the lending process.
Flend’s leadership reports that loan approval times have decreased by 95 percent in the first six months of operations, and the company now partners with over 20 platforms. Its goal is to deploy EGP 1 billion (approximately $21 million) in SME loans over the coming year to address Egypt’s estimated $50 billion SME financing shortage.
Ahmed Zaki, co‑founder and CEO, said the funds will support scaling embedded finance partnerships, expanding the team, and deepening investment in Flend’s proprietary digital infrastructure. He described the mission as “financing SMEs where they do business”.
Abdelrahman Mansour, CEO of Egypt Ventures, noted that Flend’s model could unlock widespread economic impact by bridging structural gaps in SME credit access. Hasan Haider, managing partner at Plus VC, added that Flend’s digital-first and scalable approach is a powerful solution to regional financing challenges.
Flend’s launch as a regulated digital lending platform marks a milestone in Egypt’s fintech sector, offering a modern, inclusive, and compliant alternative to traditional slow-moving credit systems.
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