FrontEdge

Based in Lagos, Nigeria, FrontEdge provides working capital and software tools to small and medium-sized enterprise exporters and importers engaged in cross-border trade transactions across emerging markets, with a particular focus on the African continent. The financial technology platform facilitates transaction-based underwriting without requiring traditional collateral, allowing businesses to manage financing, logistics, insurance, foreign exchange, and payments. The company generates its revenue primarily through spreads on these financed trade transactions. Operating at its current scale, the firm has financed over 50 contracts while maintaining a zero default rate, which has helped its core customer base triple their sales and achieve reported month-on-month growth rates of 20 percent. FrontEdge secured $10 million in combined debt and equity funding in November 2023 from lead investors TLG Capital and Flexport. FrontEdge was founded in 2021 by Moni Alli.