SAPI, a London-based firm specializing in Liquidity-as-a-Service, has successfully raised $80 million to bolster its service offerings. With a mission to make financing more accessible for small businesses, SAPI’s solutions automatically handle repayments through business’s payment transactions. The funding aims to expand its reach in overlooked markets, further integrating their offerings in London and Hanoi, with the newly formed Vietnamese financial technology entity playing a crucial role. Recent shifts in the lending landscape highlight a significant opportunity for SAPI to bridge gaps left by traditional lenders.
In prior years, SAPI’s innovative approach has set the firm apart in a crowded field by focusing on seamless payment integrations. The strategic partnerships with payment service providers and marketplace operators distinguish SAPI from competitors. Unlike many lenders that rely solely on creditworthiness evaluations, SAPI’s model ties repayments directly to business cash flow, offering a more dynamic solution. This nuanced approach contrasts with past efforts to simplify business financing, which often resulted in increased administration rather than decreased complexity.
How Does SAPI Reach More Business Owners?
Through deploying their payment-linked financing system, SAPI enables repayments to be effortlessly handled from card and account transactions. This allows businesses to align repayments with their earnings, minimizing administrative burdens. A network of partnerships, including payment providers and financial technology firms, supports the delivery of these services, ensuring a seamless experience for end users. The company estimates that a significant portion of its loan book supports immigrant- and woman-owned businesses, demonstrating its commitment to inclusivity.
What’s Next for SAPI’s Expansion?
SAPI is looking to scale its operations, focusing on secure financial technology infrastructures across new markets. The latest funding round, a mix of debt and equity, underscores investor confidence in SAPI’s growth trajectory. With plans to grow its workforce, the company is poised to enhance its product offerings and geographical footprint. SAPI’s strategic expansion into Hanoi and bolstering its presence in London reflect its long-term vision of becoming a global player in payment-linked loans.
Mai Le, SAPI’s co-founder and CEO, stated,
“This funding round lets us scale payment-linked financing that repays at source and reaches more business owners who are too often overlooked by traditional lenders.”
The integrated system stands to benefit businesses by simplifying access to capital like never before.
Alexis van Lennep, co-founder and CCO, highlighted,
“By partnering with payment platforms, we can meet business customers where they already operate.”
His insight emphasizes SAPI’s core objective of creating simple yet effective financial solutions.
SAPI’s journey reflects broader trends within the financial technology space, where agility and customer-centric solutions are paramount. The company’s focus on leveraging payment flows to collect repayments highlights a unique integration of finance and technology solutions that could inspire a new wave of innovation. For businesses seeking financing options that align seamlessly with their operational needs, SAPI’s model presents a compelling option, both now and potentially in the shifting landscape of digital finance.
