Abu Dhabi – Mubasher: Global investment firm International Holding Company (IHC) has completed the acquisition of eFunder and unveiled its rebranding as Zelo to scale the platform’s impact and growing access to capital for the region’s most dynamic businesses.

Zelo is considered the UAE’s pioneering private financing platform for SMEs and is currently targeting a $250 billion SME credit shortfall across MENA that is addressed as one of the biggest financing gaps, according to an official release.

Zelo has been operating since August 2020 and is fully licensed and regulated by ADGM’s Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA). The platform delivers receivables-based funding to address the region’s SME working capital gap.

It further provides fast, digital-first access to liquidity by converting approved invoices into working capital within 24-48 hours.

The CEO of IHC, Syed Basar Shueb, stated: “SMEs are the backbone of a diversified and future-ready economy.”

Shueb went on saying: “Through our strategic acquisition of Zelo, we are proud to support a platform that solves one of the most fundamental barriers facing SMEs, access to timely working capital.”

Commenting on the new identity, IHC’s CEO concluded: “This rebrand signals a confident new chapter, one that is fully aligned with IHC’s long-term vision of building smart, scalable solutions and dynamic value networks that deliver real and lasting economic impact.”

Following the acquisition by IHC, Zelo now enters a new chapter as part of IHC’s broader commitment to enabling future-ready economies through responsible investment and fintech innovation.

SMEs account for over 95% of the UAE’s registered businesses and generate more than half of the national GDP; meanwhile, Zelo bridges the delay gap by offering a seamless, technology-driven platform for invoice financing across priority industries, including construction, logistics, healthcare, and industrial services, as well as oil and gas.

 The CEO of Zelo, Dhanush Arjun, said: “Zelo exists to eliminate the wait. The wait for payments, the wait for growth, the wait for opportunity. Our rebrand signals not just a new name, but a renewed commitment to SMEs in the UAE who deserve faster, smarter access to capital. With IHC’s strategic backing, we’re accelerating that future.”

The platform is purpose-built for speed and simplicity, offering a fully digital onboarding experience, automated funding decisions, and near-instant access to capital, eliminating cash flow delays and accelerating reinvestment into growth. Moreover, it has facilitated over 9,000 transactions and deployed more than $200 million in funding, a testament to its impact and scalability within the region’s SME ecosystem.

Zelo’s operations continue to be led by the co-founders of eFunder, Dhanush Arjun (CEO) and Deepak Sekar (COO), supported by a seasoned group of professionals with deep expertise in fintech, SME lending, and digital infrastructure.

It is worth noting that IHC recently unveiled the launch of Reinsurance Intelligence Quotient (RIQ) as the newly named global reinsurance platform based in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM).