The third day of Funding Week, organized by the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority “Monsha’at” in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Bank (SME Bank) from May 3–7, 2026, continued across SMEs Support Centers in Riyadh, Jeddah, Al-Khobar, and Madinah as part of the Business Weeks series. The event featured specialized sessions focused on enhancing SMEs’ fund management capabilities and strengthening their readiness to access Funding solutions.

Yesterday’s agenda included a session titled “Funding Challenges and Opportunities Facing SMEs,” with the participation of Homam Hashem, CEO of Kafalah Program, and representatives from several funding entities. The session highlighted the key challenges SMEs face in accessing funding, while also discussing available opportunities to increase their utilization of Funding solutions.

The CEO of Kafalah Program explained that SMEs represent a key pillar of the national economy, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to increase SMEs’ contribution to GDP and raise their share of bank funding to around 20%. He noted that since its establishment, the program has worked to address collateral-related challenges, considered among the main barriers preventing SMEs from obtaining funding.

He also pointed out that the program has witnessed significant growth, with its capital increasing from SAR 200 million to nearly SAR 1.8 billion. This expansion has broadened the scope of guarantees provided to SMEs and strengthened their ability to grow, particularly following Kafalah’s integration into the SME Bank Group.

A panel discussion also explored the role of the Saudi Central Bank, “SAMA,” in supporting and enabling funding for MSMEs. Executive Director of Non-Banking Financial Institutions Control, Dr. Bader Alotaibi, stated that SAMA has launched several initiatives and contributions related to SME funding, which have had a tangible and positive impact on funding growth, reaching nearly SAR 470 billion, the highest level recorded historically, reflecting a 33% increase compared to the previous year. Among the most notable efforts highlighted were the issuance and continuous updating of regulatory frameworks, policies, and procedures; the ongoing licensing of financial institutions and innovative Funding activities such as debt crowdfunding; facilitating easier access to banking services for SMEs; enhancing disclosure of funding data related to MSMEs, and strengthening collaboration with government entities in this area.

Dr. Alotaibi also emphasized that the Saudi Central Bank continues to test emerging business models within its regulatory sandbox environment, including funding models, while working on developing relevant regulatory frameworks and gathering public feedback on them.

The third day’s activities also featured specialized sessions focused on cash flow management and the importance of credit information, helping SMEs better understand various funding pathways and make more efficient financial decisions.