Flend is a Cairo-based fintech company, specializing in digital lending solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Founded in 2022, it was established by Ahmed Zaki, Nehal Helmy, and Saif Edeen El Bendari. The company has emerged as Egypt’s first licensed Digital Non-Banking Financial Institution (Digital NBFI) dedicated to SME lending. As of 2025, Flend successfully raised $3 million in a blended equity and debt seed funding round aimed at scaling its operations.
| Attribute | Information |
|---|---|
| Founding Date | 2022 |
| Headquarters | Cairo, Egypt |
| Founders | Ahmed Zaki, Nehal Helmy, Saif Edeen El Bendari |
| Revenue | Not publicly disclosed |
| Profits | Not publicly disclosed |
| Key Investors | Egypt Ventures, Camel Ventures, Sukna Ventures, Plus VC, Banque Misr, El Sewedy, Baalbaki |
| Industry | Financial Technology |
| Number of Employees | Approximately 8 |
Flend was founded in Cairo in 2022 by Ahmed Zaki, Nehal Helmy, and Saif Edeen El Bendari. The founders identified a significant gap in the market—access to capital for SMEs in Egypt—and set out to create a digital solution that would provide quick, efficient, and accessible lending options for these businesses. Within a short span, Flend obtained its license from Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA) to operate as a Digital Non-Banking Financial Institution, marking a pivotal milestone in its early development. This positioned the company to directly address the financial challenges faced by SMEs, leveraging innovative technology to enhance loan accessibility and streamline financing processes through digital contracts and e-signatures.
Flend operates as a tech-enabled, fully regulated platform focusing on digital finance for SMEs. The company’s platform offers short-term working capital solutions facilitated entirely through digital processes—from onboarding and credit scoring to disbursement and collections. It is integrated with multiple supply chain platforms across a variety of industries, including agri-food, e-commerce, and healthcare, reducing financing obstacles for SMEs through embedded finance solutions.
Flend’s current operations are centered on enhancing its platform’s capabilities to serve a broader market. The company is actively pursuing a mission to narrow Egypt’s $50 billion SME financing gap by offering tailored financial products and strategic collaborations with leading digital platforms. Flend’s competitive advantage lies in its regulatory compliance coupled with a technology-first approach, which has streamlined SME financing processes significantly compared to traditional financial institutions. The setup has influenced market standards, positioning Flend as a vital player in Egypt’s fintech ecosystem.
Flend represents a transformative force in Egypt’s SME lending sector, combining fintech innovation with regulatory compliance to streamline and broaden access to capital for small and medium enterprises. Its strategic growth, bolstered by substantial seed funding in 2025, positions it to address the substantial unmet demand for SME financing in the region. As Flend continues to build its technological infrastructure and strategic partnerships, it holds potential to significantly impact Egypt's economic landscape by enabling SMEs to grow, innovate, and contribute more effectively to national economic goals.