Access to working capital remains one of the biggest challenges facing e-commerce businesses in Egypt, especially for small and medium-sized merchants trying to scale in a fast-moving digital market. A new partnership between Flend and Khazenly is aiming to address this gap by offering quicker, more flexible financing built directly into merchants’ daily operations.
The strategic collaboration allows merchants on Khazenly’s logistics and fulfillment platform to access digital financing of up to $170,000 per ticket through solutions powered by Flend. By combining financing with logistics and fulfillment services, the two companies are introducing a more practical model for supporting business growth in Egypt’s expanding e-commerce sector.
The partnership comes as Egypt continues to push for greater digital transformation, stronger financial inclusion and increased support for the private sector. For many merchants, traditional lending options remain slow, complex and disconnected from how their businesses actually operate. Flend and Khazenly say their joint offering is designed to change that reality.
Bringing Financing Closer to How Merchants Operate
At the center of the partnership is the integration of financing into Khazenly’s existing platform. Rather than applying for loans through separate institutions and lengthy approval processes, merchants can now access funding within a system they already rely on for fulfillment and logistics.
This embedded approach reduces the time and effort usually required to secure working capital. Merchants can apply digitally, sign electronic contracts and receive funding without visiting a physical branch. Approvals can be completed in as little as three days, allowing businesses to respond quickly to operational needs.
Flend’s financing model is built around data. The company uses sales, shipping and fulfillment data generated through Khazenly’s platform to assess merchants’ performance. This allows for credit decisions based on real business activity instead of static financial records that often fail to reflect how e-commerce businesses operate.
By relying on operational data, the financing becomes more closely aligned with each merchant’s actual growth trajectory. Businesses that are actively selling and fulfilling orders are assessed on their current performance, giving them a better chance of accessing capital that matches their needs.
The funds can be used across key areas of the business, including inventory purchases, fulfillment costs, delivery expenses and general working capital. Access to timely financing helps merchants maintain smooth operations, avoid disruptions and invest in growth opportunities as they arise.
Supporting Sustainable Growth in Egypt’s Digital Economy
Executives from both companies described the partnership as part of a longer-term effort to strengthen Egypt’s SME and e-commerce ecosystem. Ahmed Zaki, Co-Founder and CEO of Flend, said the company was created to serve businesses that are often underserved by traditional financial models. He explained that integrating operational data from Khazenly allows Flend to unlock financing in a way that supports genuine business expansion.
According to Zaki, the goal is not simply to provide short-term liquidity but to offer financing that helps merchants grow sustainably. By understanding how businesses operate on a day-to-day basis, Flend can structure funding that aligns with real needs.
Khazenly’s Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer, Osama El Jammali, said the company sees its role as extending beyond logistics. He noted that e-commerce merchants require speed, reliability and financial flexibility to compete and scale. Through the partnership with Flend, Khazenly is adding a financial layer that supports merchants throughout their operational cycle.
Both companies emphasized that the collaboration reflects a shared vision to empower Egyptian SMEs through responsible, data-driven financing and strong operational support. By enabling growth, encouraging digital adoption and supporting job creation, the partnership contributes to the broader development of Egypt’s digital economy.
The agreement was formally signed at the Creativa Innovation Hub at Sultan Hussein Kamel Palace, an affiliate of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. The setting underscored the partnership’s alignment with national priorities around innovation, technology and private sector growth.
As Egypt’s e-commerce market continues to expand, initiatives that connect finance directly to business operations are expected to play a growing role in shaping the sector’s future.
