Abu Dhabi fintech Zelo — formerly eFunder — has secured a $715 million capital injection from its parent firm International Holding Company (IHC), marking one of the largest private-credit allocations in the Middle East’s business-to-business financing market.
Tackling the SME liquidity crisis
Zelo enables small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-market suppliers to turn approved invoices from large corporates, government entities, and major regional businesses into working capital — typically within 24 to 48 hours. Many SMEs in the region face long payment cycles and limited access to traditional finance; Zelo’s fintech model offers rapid liquidity and reduces cash-flow stress.
Aiming big: $1 billion target by 2026
To date, Zelo has financed over 12,000 transactions worth roughly $225 million across sectors such as oil & gas, construction, infrastructure, retail, and more. With this fresh injection, the company targets a gross financing volume of $1 billion by 2026 — a five-fold increase over current levels.
Broader market and strategic significance
The Middle East continues to face a structural SME funding gap estimated between $210 and $240 billion. IHC’s support for Zelo signals growing investor confidence in institutional-grade receivables and the region’s potential to transform fragmented supply-chain debts into investable private-credit assets. This capital boost will fast-track anchor-buyer partnerships and expand Zelo’s footprint across the GCC, helping more SMEs gain access to necessary working capital.
Editor’s Note — The Startups MENA Team
At Startups MENA, we focus on the narratives that define how the Middle East builds its next-generation workforce and innovation economy. The UAE’s new initiative to train 10,000 youth and create 30,000 jobs is more than a development program—it’s a blueprint for how a nation future-proofs its human capital. By merging education, entrepreneurship, and digital innovation, this campaign moves beyond traditional job creation and lays the groundwork for an ecosystem where young Emiratis are founders, builders, and contributors to a self-sustaining economy.
— The Startups MENA Editorial Team
