Idrisi Ventures Leads Nayla’s Pre Series A to Back the Future of Micro Business Financing in Saudi Arabia

Idrisi Ventures is pleased to announce that we led the equity round in Nayla's Pre Series A, a SAMA licensed fintech focused on expanding access to fast, responsible digital financing for Saudi Arabia’s micro businesses.

The round secured nearly US$18 million in combined equity and debt financing, with participation from Suhail Ventures and other strategic investors, alongside a debt facility led by Bloominvest.

Micro businesses represent the largest segment of Saudi Arabia’s private sector, yet remain among the most underserved when it comes to access to financing. Nayla is addressing this gap through a proprietary credit engine that uses alternative data and a digital underwriting model designed specifically for micro businesses.

What gave us conviction to lead this round was the combination of a structurally underserved market, a credit model purpose built for the segment, and a founding team with the experience and discipline to execute. Shaqran Alyahya and Khalid Naili have built the company with a strong focus on underwriting discipline, technology, and responsible growth.

Nayla was originally built within Sanabil Studio, part of Sanabil Investments, which is wholly owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, PIF. This gave the company strong institutional foundations from its earliest stage and positioned it well to build within a regulated and strategically important segment of the financial sector.

We believe Nayla has the potential to become an important financing platform for Saudi Arabia’s micro business economy, combining regulatory readiness, alternative data, embedded finance, and disciplined credit underwriting to serve a segment that traditional lenders have historically struggled to address efficiently.

We are proud to support the Nayla team as they enter their next phase of growth.