Dubai-based fintech startup UPFRONT has raised $10 million in a pre-seed funding round, including both equity and debt. The startup aims to solve a major problem for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the MENA region: cash flow inefficiencies.
The round was led by Palm Ventures and SABAH.fund, with support from strategic angel investors. The funding will help UPFRONT develop its products and expand its team in the UAE and soon in Saudi Arabia.
UPFRONT was launched in May 2025 by entrepreneurs Anas Qudah, Abdullah Alghadouni, and Mahmoud Abdel-Fattah Moursy, who have experience with companies like Careem, Dubizzle, Property Finder, Nana, and Cartona. The startup is building a “next-generation financial operating system” for SMBs in MENA.
The platform works with existing accounting software to provide real-time financial insights, automate receivables, manage payments, and unlock working capital. It also helps reduce delays in collecting payments and makes cash flow management easier.
“Cash flow inefficiencies are one of the biggest growth bottlenecks for SMBs in MENA,” said Anas Qudah, UPFRONT’s co-founder and CEO. “We’re building financial infrastructure that gives these businesses real-time visibility, faster access to credit, and tools that enable them to operate with more confidence and less manual overhead.”
In less than six months, UPFRONT has attracted top investors from the region and around the world.
The startup also formed a strategic partnership with CredibleX, a leading embedded finance platform, giving UPFRONT access to flexible funding to help SMBs with different cash flow needs.
UPFRONT says that small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the MENA region face a funding gap of about $250 billion. This is mainly due to slow financial processes and delayed payments in industries like food & beverage, retail, FMCG, and manufacturing.
Radwan Abudawood, General Partner at Palm Ventures, echoed the sentiment, pointing to Saudi Arabia’s rapidly maturing fintech landscape, “The Kingdom’s fintech ecosystem is hitting an inflection point,” Abudawood said. “UPFRONT is tackling foundational gaps in SMB financial infrastructure, and their execution so far makes them one of the most promising players we’ve seen in the space.”
Abbas Kazmi, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at SABAH.fund, said the firm was drawn to UPFRONT’s approach to solving this “invisible tax” on regional SMBs, “Their innovative blend of revenue-based financing, payment orchestration, and accounts receivable automation directly targets the critical liquidity issues choking business growth,” Kazmi said. “We are truly excited by UPFRONT’s vision and believe that they have the right team in place to deliver on this huge promise and create lasting impact.”
UPFRONT is a B2B fintech platform that helps small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the MENA region manage their cash flow better. It offers tools for financial analysis, payment management, open banking, and working capital, making it easier for businesses to operate smoothly, get access to credit, and grow faster.
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