Lendo and Quantic Launch $200M SME Financing Programme in Saudi Arabia

Abdelrahman Amr

Last updated 17-09-2026

4 min

Lendo and Quantic launched a Saudi SME financing programme worth up to SAR 750 million.

The scheme focuses on working capital, helping smaller firms keep “salaries paid” and operations running.

Quantic will bring foreign investment and deploy funds through Lendo’s Shariah-compliant financing model.

The deal signals growing confidence in Saudi debt crowdfunding and wider Vision 2030 fintech goals.

If successful, it could build a lasting bridge between global capital and local SMEs.

Saudi fintech Lendo has teamed up with Austria’s Quantic Financial Solutions GmbH to roll out an SME financing programme worth up to SAR 750 million, or about $200 million, in the Kingdom. The partnership was announced at Money20/20 Middle East, and it centres on working capital finance for small and medium-sized businesses in Saudi Arabia.

Lendo, which operates as a Shariah-compliant debt crowdfunding marketplace under the supervision of the Saudi Central Bank, is betting this move will help it serve a much bigger slice of the SME market. Quantic, an asset management fund based in Vienna, is expected to bring foreign direct investment into Saudi Arabia through the programme and oversee how the capital is deployed in line with Lendo’s financing strategy.

In simple terms, this is about getting more short-term funding to businesses that often find it a bit of a faff to secure finance at the right time. Working capital may sound dry, but for many SMEs it is the money that keeps salaries paid, stock moving and operations ticking over. Around Arageek, we often see founders across MENA talk about growth as if it is only about big rounds and flashy expansion, but well… I mean, access to steady financing is often the real difference between momentum and a stall.

The programme also points to growing institutional confidence in Saudi Arabia’s debt-based crowdfunding model. That matters because the country has spent the past few years trying to deepen its fintech ecosystem under Vision 2030, especially through the Financial Sector Development Programme. On the flip side, the test will be whether this capital reaches businesses at the speed and scale the market actually needs, not just on paper.

Lendo said the new capital should help expand access to financing across the Kingdom and support the launch of new products aimed at narrowing the SME funding gap. I reckon that is the part worth watching. Saudi startups and smaller businesses do not only need capital; they need structures that are repeatable, disciplined and trusted by regulators as well as investors abroad.

Osama AlRaee, CEO and co-founder of Lendo, described the agreement as “a significant milestone” for the company and “a strong endorsement” of its business model. He said the partnership gives Lendo “the scale and structuring discipline to serve significantly more SMEs as demand across the Kingdom continues to grow,” adding that it also moves the company closer to its aim of closing the SME financing gap through “transparent, responsible funding”.

From Quantic’s side, founding partner Dr Dietrich Matthes said Lendo’s “track record, origination quality, and regulatory standing” made it the right partner for a programme of this size in Saudi Arabia. He added that Quantic wants to fund the programme and deploy capital with discipline to support SME growth across the Kingdom. Matthes also pointed to the appeal of Shariah-compliant investment products created from these assets for international investors, suggesting this could open a more durable channel between global capital and Saudi SME finance.

That may be the bigger story here, actually. This is not being framed as a one-off cheque, but more like a bridge between overseas investors and local businesses through structured, Shariah-compliant products. If it works as planned, it could be spot on for a market still trying to close long-standing financing gaps while keeping pace with Saudi Arabia’s wider economic ambitions.

For readers who follow the startup scene through Arageek, this one feels relevant beyond the headline number. A $200 million programme is sizeable, yes, but the more interesting bit is what it says about the maturity of fintech infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. The market is definately moving beyond experimentation, and into the stage where institutional capital wants in.

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