SAPI is a company.
SAPI has raised $10.0M across 1 funding round.
Key people at SAPI.
SAPI has raised $10.0M in total across 1 funding round.
SAPI has raised $10.0M in total across 1 funding round.
SAPI's investors include Atlas Venture, Double Prime LLP, Pareto Holdings, Passion Capital, V3 Ventures, Mik Attisani, Oscar Pierre, Tom Blomfield.
SAPI is a fintech startup founded in 2020 that provides payment-linked financing for small businesses, particularly underserved ones like immigrant- and woman-owned enterprises. It builds an API-based platform enabling partners—such as payment service providers, marketplaces, and neobanks—to embed short-term credit into payment flows, with repayments automatically deducted at source as a share of revenue or card takings[1][2][3][5]. This solves cash flow gaps for businesses overlooked by traditional banks by aligning lending with real trading activity, offering fast funding, clear pricing, and no hidden fees; over £50m has been advanced, with 90% to immigrant/woman-owned businesses and an 82% renewal rate[5]. SAPI serves everyday small businesses directly and via partners in the US, UK, EU, and expanding Asia-Pacific markets from offices in London and Hanoi, recently raising £60.9m ($80m) in debt-equity funding led by Hudson Cove to fuel growth, tech investments, and team expansion[1][2][4].
SAPI was founded in 2020 in London by Mai Le (CEO, ex-Goldman Sachs executive), Alexis van Lennep (CCO, ex-AlixPartners), and Michal Kot (CTO), with operations extending to Hanoi and a new fintech entity in Vietnam[1][2][3]. The idea emerged from recognizing barriers to credit for high-potential small businesses, especially underrepresented founders, leading to a model that embeds lending in payment platforms for seamless access[1][2]. Early traction built on proprietary underwriting and repayment collection, culminating in rapid deal closure—17 days from first investor meeting to term sheet—and this major 2025 funding round blending £57m debt with £3.8m equity from Hudson Cove, Triple A Capital, and Passion Capital[1][2].
SAPI rides the embedded finance wave, integrating credit directly into payment infrastructures to democratize access for small businesses in fragmented markets where traditional lending lags digital adoption[1][2]. Timing aligns with surging investor confidence in payment-data-driven models, especially in high-growth APAC and underserved segments, amplified by post-pandemic cash flow volatility and regulatory pushes for inclusion[1][2]. Market forces like widespread digital payments, alternative credit demand, and fintech partnerships favor SAPI, positioning it to disrupt legacy banks while influencing ecosystems by enabling platforms to monetize via lending[3][5].
SAPI's $80m raise signals strong momentum for scaling its API-driven, inclusion-led lending globally, with funds targeting engineering, underwriting, and APAC expansion via Vietnam[1][2]. Trends like AI-enhanced underwriting, deeper payment integrations, and regulatory tailwinds for embedded finance will shape its path, potentially elevating it as infrastructure for business credit worldwide[3]. Its influence may evolve from niche lender to core enabler for fintechs, redefining fair funding as seamless as payments—building on its mission to connect overlooked founders with capital[1][5].
Key people at SAPI.
SAPI has raised $10.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $10.0M Venture Round in March 2024.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2024 | $10.0M Venture Round | Atlas Venture, Double Prime LLP, Pareto Holdings, Passion Capital, V3 Ventures, Mik Attisani, Oscar Pierre, Tom Blomfield |
