June 03, 2025

Beyond the Buzz: Beehive’s Real Playbook for SME Lending

56 minutes

There’s a $260B SME financing gap in MENA, and most players are still offering copy-paste solutions.

In this episode of Couchonomics with Arjun, Craig Moore, Founder and CEO of Beehive, shares how one of the region’s original fintechs is tackling real problems with real results.

Since 2014, Beehive has built a lending model that combines technology, regulatory know-how, and operational depth to serve the segment banks continue to overlook.

In this conversation, we explore:
• What SME lending looks like on the ground in the GCC
• Why Beehive shifted from peer-to-peer to institutional capital
• How investor appetite is changing, from family offices to global VCs
• The practical role of AI in credit decisioning
• Beehive’s plans for expansion into Saudi Arabia, Oman, and more

📌 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.

#CouchonomicsWithArjun #SMELending #Fintech #DigitalBanking #MiddleEastFintech #AltCredit #VentureCapital #GCCStartups #FinancialInclusion #FounderVoices

Couchonomics with Arjun Season 04 is brought to you by our partners:
Adyen https://www.adyen.com/
Thunes https://thunes.com/
Mastercard https://mastercard.com/
E& https://www.eand.com/
Digit9 https://www.digitnine.com/
SC Ventures https://scventures.io/
Hala https://hala.com/

Find us on our social media platforms:
Arjun's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arjunvirsingh/
Couchonomics LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/couchonomics-with-arjun-singh/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/couchonomics/
Twitter https://twitter.com/Arjun_Vir_Singh?s=20
TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@couchonomics

Subscribe to Arjun's LinkedIn newsletter, Couchonomics Crunch: https://bit.ly/3WI4A6E

Chapters:
00:00 Episode Highlights
00:50 Intro
01:37 Beehive's Origin and Mission
04:22 Challenges in SME Lending
12:45 Technology's Role in Lending
15:08 Beehive's Evolution and Strategy
21:29 Competitive Landscape and Future Outlook
30:11 The SME Lending Landscape
30:43 Challenges and Competition in SME Lending
31:42 Significant Milestones and Growth
33:16 BNPL and Merchant Lending
35:46 Investment and Corporate Dynamics
40:53 Embracing AI and Technology
44:21 Blockchain and Tokenization
47:09 Regional Expansion and Market Strategies
51:34 Future Vision and Focus
55:40 Final Thoughts