Late payments remain one of the biggest financial challenges facing the UK construction industry. Birmingham-based fintech Saible is aiming to address this issue after securing £2.9 million in funding to expand its payment platform and bring greater transparency to construction supply chains.

The total funding includes £2.1 million raised previously, alongside a new £800,000 angel investment. The company has also opened a limited £50,000 Crowdcube allocation, allowing smaller construction firms and industry participants to invest alongside existing backers.

Tackling a Longstanding Industry Problem

Construction projects often involve multiple layers of contractors and suppliers before payments reach the businesses carrying out the work. At each stage, funds can be delayed or withheld, creating cash flow pressure across the supply chain.

According to research cited by Saible, 93% of UK construction businesses experience late payments, with invoices averaging 53 days overdue. Construction has also recorded the highest number of business insolvencies in the UK for four consecutive years, highlighting the financial strain across the sector.

A Different Approach to Construction Payments

Saible’s Digital Parallel Payment Account (DiPPA) is designed to ensure approved suppliers across every tier receive payments simultaneously. Funds are held in trust through regulated banking partner Griffin, while Saible’s platform manages payment approvals, verification and auditing.

Rather than relying on funds passing from one contractor to another, the model enables project owners to distribute payments directly throughout the supply chain. Project owners pay a 0.25% fee on payment value, while suppliers do not pay platform fees.

The company is also running public-sector pilots with the Environment Agency and BAM Nuttall to evaluate the model on live government-backed projects, with findings expected to contribute to future discussions around public-sector payment reform.

Key takeaways for fintech startups

Every funding announcement offers lessons for founders building the next generation of financial services.

• Solving industry-specific payment challenges can unlock significant market opportunities.
  
  
• Infrastructure fintech continues expanding beyond traditional banking into vertical industries.
  
  
• Trust, transparency and payment control remain key drivers of enterprise fintech adoption.
  
  
• Public-sector pilots can provide valuable validation for innovative financial infrastructure.

Building an innovative fintech product is only part of the journey. Making sure the market understands its value is equally important.

Your Fintech Story helps fintech companies strengthen their positioning, build industry authority and communicate their value to customers, partners and investors. Contact us to discuss how strategic marketing can support your fintech growth.

Cover Genius has raised USD $100 million in a funding round backed by Vista Credit Partners, reaching a valuation of USD $1.9 billion. The new capital will support the company’s AI roadmap, strengthen enterprise partnerships, expand its platform, and pursue selective acquisitions as demand for embedded insurance continues to grow.

The company has positioned itself as an infrastructure provider rather than a traditional insurer, enabling businesses to offer protection products directly within digital customer journeys across industries including travel, retail, logistics, and ticketing.

AI and Enterprise Expansion Take Center Stage

Cover Genius plans to invest the new funding across three strategic priorities. The first is enhancing integrations with enterprise partners to improve customer conversion rates. The second focuses on expanding AI capabilities, including hyper-personalized protection offers, agentic distribution models, and automated claims infrastructure designed to improve customer experiences. The third priority is scaling the platform while supporting expansion into new industry verticals through selective acquisitions.

The company currently connects more than 200 partners with over 50 global insurance carriers, serving more than 70 million customers through embedded protection at the point of sale.

Strong Growth Supports Long-Term Strategy

The funding follows a year of significant growth for Cover Genius. During 2025, the company reported 50% year-over-year revenue growth, surpassed USD $3 billion in cumulative gross written sales, and expanded its reach to 240 million policies through partnerships with major digital platforms including Klarna, Revolut, Booking.com, Uber, Amazon, eBay, and others.

As embedded insurance adoption continues to increase, Cover Genius is investing in technology and global scale to strengthen its position in a market that is expected to expand significantly over the coming years.

Key takeaways for fintech startups

As embedded financial services continue to evolve, this funding highlights several important trends for fintech companies.

• AI is becoming a core differentiator in embedded financial products.
  
  
• Enterprise infrastructure providers continue to attract large-scale investment.
  
  
• Embedded insurance remains a fast-growing opportunity across multiple industries.
  
  
• Platform scalability and strategic partnerships are critical for long-term growth.

If you struggle with your fintech startup, we can help. Contact us to find out how.