ShopUp, a B2B commerce platform in Bangladesh, has raised US$6.5Mn in debt capital funding from Saison Investment Management Private Ltd (SIMPL), the credit venture arm of Japan’s Credit Saison. This marks SIMPL’s first strategic investment in Bangladesh, demonstrating confidence in ShopUp’s potential to spur economic growth and financial inclusion.

The funding will enhance ShopUp’s local supply chain through technological advancements, making it a fully local operation. By integrating financial solutions into its platform, ShopUp aims to simplify transactions for businesses, allowing them to grow efficiently and scale operations without the complexities of traditional financing methods.

Afeef Zaman, founder and CEO of ShopUp, highlighted the impact of this investment, stating, "Our vision of reaching eight crore people becomes more important than ever before. We are determined to bring transparency to the food and consumer goods value chain, impacting the lives of millions who spend more than 50 percent of their income on these essentials."

Credit Saison, recognized as the third largest credit card issuer in Japan, has a diverse portfolio of lending solutions in consumer, corporate, and MSME finance. With operations expanded to multiple emerging markets, this investment in ShopUp aligns with Credit Saison’s strategy of leveraging local data infrastructure and diverse lending models to support economic development.