Dubai - Sharikat Mubasher: The Dubai-based fintech startup UPFRONT secured $10 million in a pre-seed round led by Palm Ventures and SABAH.fund, with participation from several strategic angel investors.

The funding, which is a mix of equity and debt allocation, will help UPFRONT fuel product development and hiring across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the company announced in a statement today.

UPFRONT will use the investment to tackle the cash flow inefficiencies that face small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the MENA region. Its platform integrates seamlessly with existing accounting software to deliver real-time financial analytics, automate receivables, orchestrate payments, and unlock working capital, thereby reducing Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) and friction around cash flow.

Anas Qudah, Co-founder and CEO of UPFRONT, said: “Cash flow inefficiencies are one of the biggest growth bottlenecks for SMBs in MENA. We are building financial infrastructure that gives these businesses real-time visibility, faster access to credit, and tools that enable them to operate with more confidence and less manual overhead.”

With operations in the UAE and soon Saudi Arabia, UPFRONT aims to use the new capital to grow its engineering and go-to-market teams, and double down on building infrastructure that empowers SMBs to grow sustainably, without the constraints of outdated financial workflows.