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Fintech platform Octa has secured a USD 20 mn credit facility to offer embedded working capital to Saudi SMEs from the Sukna Fund for Direct Financing (SFDF), according to a press release (pdf). The facility — set to launch in 3Q 2025 — will enable businesses to access short-term financing directly through Octa’s “financial operations layer” platform, with automated repayments synced to their actual collections.
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The platform aims to address operational industry challenges — like poor visibility, inconsistent follow-through, and a lack of structured payment processes that make receivables difficult to manage — “so finance stops being reactive and becomes a core part of how they run the business,” COO Nupur Mittal told EnterpriseAM Saudi.
A snapshot of the process: The financing process requires no applications, with eligibility determined by a company’s operational signals within Octa, such as invoicing and payment behavior, Mittal said. This real-time data is used by Octa’s capital partner to make underwriting decisions.
Who’s being targeted: The company is seeing traction from Saudi SMEs in sectors like logistics, F&B supply, facilities management, marketing, and professional services, Mittal said, adding that these sectors face high operational complexity but have limited finance infrastructure. “These businesses often operate across multiple entities and currencies, with recurring B2B payments and delayed collections,” he explained.
Octa's next moves: The UAE-based platform is aiming to develop AI-driven “finance agents” to help SMEs automate decisions like follow-ups and payment terms. It is also expanding its embedded financing capabilities by building a regional capital infrastructure with banks and funds, Mittal said.
BACKGROUND- Since launching in Saudi in 1Q 2025, OCTA has quadrupled its customer base to over 500 businesses — including Careem and ZenHR — and processed over USD 290 mn in invoices.
