What Zelo does

Zelo (legally Funder.AI Technologies Limited, formerly eFunder) is an Abu Dhabi-based digital financing platform that provides invoice financing and revenue-based financing to small and medium enterprises across the UAE and the wider Middle East. The platform is incorporated in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and is regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) under a Category 4 license to operate a Private Financing Platform. Zelo's core product converts approved unpaid invoices into cash for SME borrowers within 24 hours, with no collateral requirement and a daily pay-as-you-go pricing model that bills clients only for the days capital is in use. The technology stack is built around ERP-enabled integration with named buyer ecosystems (ADNOC, Emaar, DP World, Modon, Aldar, ENOC, SNOC, Borouge, Abu Dhabi Ports, UAE Government entities, Dubai Police, SEHA, Burjeel, DEWA, TAQA, RTA, and oilfield services majors), enabling automated invoice verification and accelerated underwriting.

The business model is a transaction-fee revenue stream on financed invoices (sourced materials cite up to 2% of invoice amounts), with an additional bank guarantee facilitation product in development via First Abu Dhabi Bank. Zelo operates a self-serve digital onboarding funnel (Create Account → Apply in Minutes → Select Product → Choose Buyer Ecosystems → Funding in 24 hours) and supplements direct acquisition with channel partnerships — most notably with UAE procurement consultancy Sourcing Connections — that embed Zelo into SME procurement workflows. Go-to-market targets SMEs whose working capital is constrained by 30–90 day buyer payment cycles across verticals including construction and real estate, oil and gas, oilfield services, government supply, healthcare, utilities, logistics, and eCommerce/retail.

Zelo is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abu Dhabi-listed conglomerate International Holding Company (IHC), which acquired and rebranded the business from eFunder in July 2025 and allocated $715 million in December 2025 to scale the platform toward a stated $1 billion gross financing volume target by 2026. The company reports 9,500+ transactions and over USD 200 million in financed volume on its website, and frames its addressable market as the US$250 billion SME credit gap in the Middle East.

Name

Zelo

Legal name

Funder.AI Technologies Limited

Website

https://efunder.ai

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Zelo is an Abu Dhabi-based, ADGM-regulated digital financing platform that provides invoice financing and bank guarantee solutions to SMEs in the UAE and Middle East, converting approved buyer invoices into working capital within 24 hours via an enterprise buyer ecosystem anchored by ADNOC, Emaar, DP World, and government entities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

SME Digital Lending

NAICS

Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522), Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (5223)

SIC

Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)

akta.pro primary industry

Invoice Financing & Factoring (FSAKAGAC)

Keywords

• Invoice financing
• SME lending
• Working capital
• Revenue-based financing
• Digital financing platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Abu Dhabi

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Invoice Financing Fees: Zelo charges fees on invoice financing transactions. The fee structure is usage-based and calculated on a daily pay-as-you-go model — clients pay only for the number of days they use the capital. Fees are deducted as a percentage of the invoice amount.
2. Bank Guarantee Facilitation: Zelo facilitates issuance of bank guarantees through First Abu Dhabi Bank, likely earning a facilitation fee or margin on the service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Zelo is a digital SME financing platform that provides invoice financing and revenue-based financing, enabling businesses to convert approved unpaid invoices from ERP-enabled buyer ecosystems into cash within 24 hours. The platform automates end-to-end financing workflows — from invoice upload and buyer verification to funding disbursement — without collateral, paperwork, or fixed EMIs. Zelo also facilitates bank guarantee issuance through First Abu Dhabi Bank as a complementary product.

Product overview

Zelo is a digital SME financing platform offering a portfolio of working capital solutions. The core product is Invoice Financing, which enables businesses to unlock capital from unpaid invoices within 24 hours through integration with ERP-enabled buyer ecosystems. A complementary add-on module, Bank Guarantee, facilitates issuance of performance and advance payment bonds. Both products are delivered through a fully digital, end-to-end platform regulated under ADGM FSRA Category 4 license.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Invoice Financing

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced Days Sales Outstanding from 98 to 21 days for logistics company
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TASNEEF-RINA Business AssuranceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2026TASNEEF-RINA Business Assurance, a subsidiary of Emirates Classification Society, and Zelo signed an MoU to explore integrated assurance and financing solutions in the UAE. The partnership combines TASNEEF's inspection, classification, certification, and verification services with Zelo's invoice financing and structured financial solutions to create more efficient operational frameworks. Both companies will jointly assess market opportunities, conduct workshops, and develop pilot structures for scalable implementation across UAE sectors.
• Sourcing ConnectionscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 16 March 2026UAE-based procurement consultancy Sourcing Connections partnered with Zelo to offer embedded invoice financing solutions for SMEs in the Gulf region. The partnership addresses working capital challenges faced by SMEs who wait 30-90 days for payments. Zelo charges up to 2% of invoice amounts for instant payouts. The collaboration aims to help organizations develop supplier management programs that improve ecosystem liquidity.
• Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival (SEF 2026)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 2 February 2026Zelo participated as a partner at SEF 2026, the ninth edition of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival, where 17 MoUs were signed unlocking AED 100 million in financing. Zelo was listed alongside Emirates NBD, AlFardan Exchange, and other fintech ecosystem players. SEF 2026 attracted over 14,000 attendees and 300+ global speakers.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Wio Bank: UAE-based digital banking platform serving SMEs with working capital products. Adjacent competitor in the same geography with broader product breadth but overlapping SME customer base.
• Tarabut Gateway: MENA's largest open banking platform. Comparable MENA fintech scale and ambition, and an enabling layer for SME credit decisioning that Zelo may rely on or compete against for embedded lending.
• Beehive: UAE/MENA-based peer-to-peer SME lending platform. Direct regional peer to Zelo, operating in the same geography with overlapping invoice financing and SME working capital use cases.
• Lendo: Saudi Arabia-based Shari'ah-compliant P2P invoice discounting platform. Comparable regional SME invoice-financing model in an adjacent Middle East market that Zelo is targeting for expansion.

Direct peers

• Fundbox: US-based fintech providing invoice financing and short-term working capital lines to SMBs via a digital platform. Directly comparable business model to Zelo's core invoice-financing product and SME target segment.
• BlueVine: US-based fintech offering invoice factoring, lines of credit, and business banking to SMBs. Closely comparable in product (invoice-based working capital), customer profile (SME), and digital-first delivery model.
• C2FO: Global working capital marketplace connecting large corporate buyers with their SME suppliers for early payment. Directly analogous to Zelo's buyer-ecosystem-driven early invoice payment model.
• Pipe: Platform enabling businesses to convert recurring revenue streams into upfront capital. Closely comparable to Zelo's revenue-based financing product line and SaaS/subscription-oriented SME use cases.
• Resolve: B2B payments and invoice financing platform helping SMBs get paid early on outstanding invoices. Directly comparable product offering and SME target market to Zelo.

Broad incumbents

• Emirates NBD: UAE's largest bank with a substantial SME lending franchise. Broad incumbent competitor with deposit-funded balance sheet that could launch competing fast-track SME financing products targeting the same buyer ecosystems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/funder-ai-technologies

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zelo