Nayla Finance, a Saudi Arabia-based Fintech focused on improving access to capital for micro-businesses, has raised $4 million in seed funding to scale its operations and expand its digital lending platform, the company said.
The round was led by Sanabil Venture Studio by Stryber and marks a significant step in Nayla’s goal of reshaping financial services for underserved small businesses in the Kingdom.
The fresh capital will be used to grow Nayla’s loan book, enhance its proprietary data-driven credit assessment technology, and build partnerships across sectors, including food and beverage, e-commerce, and retail.
Founded to address the funding gap in the micro-enterprise segment, Nayla Finance offers a cloud-based lending platform that leverages alternative data and risk models to underwrite loans for small businesses often overlooked by traditional financial institutions.
The company aims to remove friction from the lending process and provide timely financing tailored to the unique needs of micro-entrepreneurs.
In addition to the equity injection, Nayla plans to deploy $2.7 million in debt financing to grow its loan portfolio.
The firm is also finalizing regulatory approval from the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and expects to officially launch operations in the second quarter of 2025.
Nayla Finance’s funding comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is pushing forward with its Vision 2030 strategy, which includes digital transformation and increased financial inclusion for the SME sector.
Micro-businesses represent a vital segment of the Kingdom’s economy, yet continue to face significant challenges in accessing credit due to limited financial history and perceived risk by traditional lenders.
With this funding, Nayla plans to strengthen its credit-scoring capabilities for faster and more accurate lending decisions and expand its footprint through strategic partnerships with digital platforms, aggregators, and merchant networks.
The investment is the first in the fintech space under Sanabil Venture Studio by Stryber, a strategic initiative backed by Sanabil Investments aimed at building scalable ventures across fintech, consumer goods, and entertainment.
Since 2023, the studio has launched seven ventures and deployed around $20 million across its portfolio.
