About Abwab
We build the credit intelligence layer for SME finance.
Abwab.ai was founded to solve a structural problem: the tools built for corporate lending don't work for small businesses. We're fixing that with AI built for MENA.
By the Numbers
Growing with the institutions we serve.
SAR 1B+
Loans processed
13+
Financial institutions
13x
Growth in four quarters
40+
Team members
The Story
Opening doors that were closed.
Baraa Koshak saw the problem at Revolut: data could solve financial problems that process alone could not. In Saudi Arabia, financial institutions don't lack the appetite to lend to SMEs. They lack the infrastructure. SMEs make up 99.6% of Saudi private businesses but receive only around 10% of total credit, with a GCC-wide financing gap exceeding $250 billion.
Abwab means "doors" in Arabic. We exist to open doors for lenders to serve the SMEs they couldn't reach before, with credit intelligence that makes underwriting fast, accurate, and scalable.
Founded in 2023, we are building the infrastructure layer that MENA's lending ecosystem has been missing.
99.6%
of Saudi private businesses are SMEs
~10%
of bank credit reaches them
$250B+
GCC SME financing gap
Leadership
The team behind Abwab.
Founded by fintech and technology veterans from Hala, Revolut, NVIDIA, Ubisoft, and GIB.
Executive Team
Baraa Koshak
Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer
Third-time founder. Led data and credit products at Revolut, Hala, and Mozn, with commercial and strategy background at McKinsey.
Mohammed Hashem
Co-founder, Chief Business Officer
Over 10 years in banking and financial services, previously at Oliver Wyman. Leads Abwab's commercial strategy and partnerships.
Petros Demetriades
Chief Technology Officer
Five-time co-founder with a PhD in Computer Science, previously at Speedinvest. Leads the AI, data, and engineering behind Abwab's credit platform.
Anna Bondarenko
Chief Operating Officer
Leads operations and finance, and the systems that let Abwab scale with regulated institutions.
Board of Directors
Baraa Koshak
Board Director
Founder and CEO of Abwab. Third-time founder. Led data and credit products at Revolut, Hala, and Mozn, with commercial and strategy background at McKinsey.
Mazen Altamimi
Board Director
30+ years in Saudi banking and finance, including a long tenure at Banque Saudi Fransi. An early angel investor in Abwab, now on the boards of Emkan and Arabian Cement, advising on credit, capital, and senior hiring.
Stefan Klestil
Board Director
General Partner at Speedinvest, which led Abwab's seed round. Over 20 years in payments and banking technology, an early backer of N26, Wefox, and Curve, with exits including Payworks (to Visa) and iyzico (to PayU).
Advisors
Hisham Almalik
Advisor
15+ years at SAMA, the Saudi Central Bank, where he led the launch of its regulatory sandbox. Now an advisor and investor across Saudi fintech.
Youssef Salem
Advisor
CFO of ADNOC Drilling. Previously the CFO who took Swvl public on Nasdaq, the first Middle East unicorn to list there, after a career in investment banking at Moelis.
Salah Khashoggi
Advisor
Founder of Tamra Capital, with 10+ years in banking at Saudi National Bank. An active fintech advisor, board member, and investor.
Investors & Recognition
Backed by leading investors.
$1Bn+ global fintech-focused fund.
MENA-focused venture capital firm.
Recognized across the ecosystem
AI First Accelerator
Keynote Speaker
Silicon Valley Summit
Portfolio Company
Exhibitor
Our Mission
Make SME lending as fast, accurate, and scalable as modern technology allows. So more small businesses get funded, more lenders grow safely, and the financing gap starts to close.
Values
What guides us.
Move fast, stay accurate
Speed without precision is worthless in lending. We build for both.
Explain everything
AI decisions that can't be explained can't be trusted. Transparency is non-negotiable.
Build for the region
MENA has unique data, regulations, and business practices. We design for that reality.
Earn trust through results
We don't ask for long contracts. We prove value fast and let results speak.