When I was 31, I stood at a crossroads with a dream that seemed just out of reach. I had been accepted to pursue graduate studies in the UK to learn about microfinance — a subject I deeply believed could change lives. But just before I was to leave, the yen plummeted. My savings weren't enough. I was stuck.

It was only thanks to a ¥3 million loan from a scholarship program by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) that I could continue. That single financial intervention shaped everything that came next — not just my studies, but my philosophy, my purpose, and the company I would later build.

Today, as the founder and CEO of FundingBee, I reflect on that moment often. Because I know what it feels like to need help at a critical moment — and to find a system that says “yes” when it matters most.

From Wall Street to the World’s Margins

I began my career in finance straight after university. It was structured, secure, and on the surface — successful. But something inside me wanted more. I was drawn to developing countries, to the idea that finance should be a tool for opportunity, not just accumulation.

Studying microfinance in the UK expanded my worldview. But what changed me more than textbooks was my own financial struggle to get there. I repaid the loan in instalments after graduation, and in doing so, I learned something vital: when loans are structured well, people repay. When people are trusted, they rise.

Why I Built FundingBee

After moving to Malaysia in 2018, I saw a pattern I couldn’t ignore. Nearly 70% of small businesses in the country are unable to get loans from traditional banks. Many are turned away not because they lack potential, but because they don’t fit the rigid systems built without them in mind.

Left with few choices, they often turn to informal lenders — where high interest and predatory terms crush more than they help.

I built Bee Informatica and launched FundingBee to be an answer to that. A system that looks at people not just as credit scores, but as human beings with potential. A platform that provides fair, timely financial access to those who need it most — especially underserved individuals and small businesses.

Finance Is About Growth, Not Just Numbers

To me, finance is not just about transactions. It's about transformation.

It’s about giving someone the chance to go back to school, to expand their shop, to weather a crisis, or simply to dream a little bigger. Like water to a seed, financial support — when given at the right time and in the right way — helps people flourish.

That is the future I’m building at FundingBee.

Let’s Redefine Finance ー Together

I’ve lived in Malaysia for six years now. And every day, I’m reminded of the resilience, drive, and dreams that live within this country’s entrepreneurs. What they need is someone to believe in them — and a system that’s designed to support them.

If you're a business owner who's ever felt overlooked or underserved by the financial system, know this: you’re not alone, and it doesn’t have to stay that way.

We’re building something better. And I invite you to be part of it.

Fumiko Inada is a Japanese entrepreneur who has called Malaysia home for the past six years. As the founder and CEO of FundingBee, a digital financing platform launched in 2019, she is committed to empowering Malaysian SMEs and entrepreneurs through fair and timely access to funding.

Let us fund your next dream.Get in touch with our group of experts at www.fundingbee.my or whatsapp us at +60 17-509 2672