Saudi Fintech Nayla Raises $18M Pre-Series A to Scale AI-Powered Financing for Micro-Businesses

Khalid Naili and Shaqran Alyahya, Nayla co-founders

Saudi fintech Nayla has raised approximately $18 million in pre-Series A funding, combining equity and debt, to expand AI-powered financing for micro-businesses. Led by Idrisi Ventures and BLOMINVEST, the round will support Nayla’s digital lending products and broaden access to Sharia-compliant financing across Saudi Arabia.

How Much Did Saudi Fintech Nayla Raise?

Saudi fintech Nayla has closed an approximately $18 million pre-Series A funding round, comprising a combination of equity and debt financing, the company announced at LEAP 2026 in Riyadh.

The equity round was led by Idrisi Ventures, with participation from Suhail Ventures and other strategic investors. BLOMINVEST led the debt facility.

The financing gives Nayla additional capital to scale its technology and lending operations as it targets the financing needs of Saudi Arabia’s micro-business segment.

Nayla’s $18M Funding Round at a Glance

Detail	Information
Company	Nayla
Funding stage	Pre-Series A
Total funding	Approximately $18 million
Financing structure	Equity and debt
Equity lead	Idrisi Ventures
Equity participants	Suhail Ventures and strategic investors
Debt lead	BLOMINVEST
Headquarters/market	Saudi Arabia
Primary focus	AI-powered financing for micro-businesses
Announcement	LEAP 2026, Riyadh
Parent venture-building platform	Sanabil Studio

What Will Nayla Do With the New Funding?

Nayla plans to use the capital to accelerate the development of its AI-powered lending solutions and expand access to fast, digital financing for micro-businesses across Saudi Arabia.

The company's strategy focuses on providing financing products that are:

• Fast and digital, reducing friction in the financing process.
• Flexible, designed around the needs of micro-businesses.
• Sharia-compliant, supporting financing aligned with Islamic finance principles.
• AI-powered, using technology to improve the lending experience and decision-making process.
• Accessible, targeting businesses that may face challenges obtaining traditional financing.

By combining technology with Sharia-compliant financing, Nayla aims to address the funding needs of smaller businesses while building a scalable digital lending model.

Why Is Nayla Targeting Saudi Arabia’s Micro-Businesses?

Nayla's model is built around the financing gap faced by micro-businesses, which can encounter barriers when seeking conventional credit.

The company aims to provide flexible and accessible credit solutions tailored to the operating needs of these businesses. Its expansion also aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which places private-sector development, entrepreneurship, and the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises at the center of economic diversification.

For Nayla, the latest funding round provides capital to move beyond product development and expand the availability of digital financing across the Kingdom.

What Is Nayla’s Connection to Sanabil Studio?

Nayla was built through Sanabil Studio, a venture-building platform connected to Saudi investment ecosystem Sanabil Investments.

According to Nayla, the latest financing makes it the first venture launched by Sanabil Studio to successfully close an institutional funding round.

This gives the transaction significance beyond Nayla's own fundraising. It also provides an early indication of the venture-building model's ability to develop companies that can subsequently attract institutional investors.

How Does LEAP 2026 Highlight Saudi Arabia’s Fintech Growth?

Nayla announced the financing at LEAP 2026, the major technology event held in Riyadh from August 31 to September 3, 2026, under the theme “Into New Worlds.”

The event brought together a large concentration of technology companies, startups, investors, and industry experts. LEAP 2026 was expected to feature more than 1,000 global speakers and experts, 1,800 technology companies, 600 startups, and 1,900 investors and venture capital representatives.

Nayla's announcement therefore comes within a broader technology ecosystem increasingly focused on applying AI and digital infrastructure to financial services.

What Does Nayla’s Funding Mean for Saudi Fintech?

Nayla's $18 million pre-Series A illustrates how Saudi fintech companies are increasingly combining financial technology with alternative financing models to serve underserved business segments.

The company's next phase will center on scaling its AI-powered lending infrastructure and increasing the availability of digital financing for micro-businesses across the Kingdom.

The funding also highlights the growing intersection between AI, fintech, Islamic finance, and SME financing in Saudi Arabia. If Nayla can successfully scale its model, its institutional funding round could provide a foundation for further expansion across the Kingdom's micro-business financing market.

 

 

FAQs

1. How much funding did Nayla raise?
Nayla raised approximately $18 million in a pre-Series A funding round combining equity and debt financing.

2. Who invested in Nayla's funding round?
Idrisi Ventures led the equity portion, with participation from Suhail Ventures and other strategic investors. BLOMINVEST led the debt facility.

3. What does Nayla do?
Nayla is a Saudi fintech company that provides AI-powered, Sharia-compliant financing solutions for micro-businesses.

4. How will Nayla use the $18 million funding?
Nayla plans to use the funding to accelerate its AI-powered lending solutions and expand access to fast, digital financing for micro-businesses across Saudi Arabia.

5. What is Nayla's connection to Sanabil Studio?
Nayla was built through Sanabil Studio and said its latest institutional funding round makes it the first venture launched by the studio to successfully secure institutional financing.