Key Takeaways
- E-1 tech companies with $20K+ monthly US revenue qualify for up to $5M
- Revenue-based funding requires no equity dilution — Bankable takes no ownership stake
- SBA loans closed to E-1 holders in 2026 — Bankable is the direct alternative
- IT staffing, SaaS, consulting, and trade technology companies all qualify
- 48-hour decisions — faster than VC processes with no immigration complications
E-1 Treaty Trader visa holders building tech companies face a specific funding challenge: the visa's trade requirement means the technology must serve international commerce in some way, which many sophisticated tech businesses do naturally — cross-border payment platforms, international logistics software, import/export management systems, multilingual ecommerce tools, and international marketplace technology. But even when the E-1 tech company fits the visa criteria, US funding sources default to citizenship checks before evaluating the business.
The venture capital path has its own visa complications — most VC agreements contain covenants that are incompatible with E-1 status, and immigration attorneys frequently advise against certain equity structures. Bankable's revenue-based funding is immigration-neutral and equity-free: we evaluate your US revenue, advance capital, and collect repayment as a percentage of ongoing revenue. No visa complications, no equity dilution, no citizenship requirement.
E-1 Tech Company Profiles We Fund
- International Trade Technology: Software that automates customs documentation, trade compliance, tariff classification, or supply chain visibility. These companies are E-1-eligible by definition and generate strong recurring revenue from importer/exporter clients.
- Cross-Border Payment Platforms: E-1 holders from treaty nations building payment rails between the US and their home country serve a massive underserved market. US revenue from payment processing fees qualifies easily.
- SaaS for International Businesses: Software built by E-1 holders that serves the international business community — multilingual CRMs, international HR platforms, cross-border accounting tools — with US subscription revenue qualifies.
- IT Staffing and Nearshore Development Firms: E-1 holders from treaty countries who operate IT staffing companies that source engineers from their home country and place them with US clients are running a classic E-1 trade business with strong, verifiable US revenue.
- Technology Consulting: E-1 holders who provide technology consulting to US corporations — ERP implementations, digital transformation, cloud migrations — generate project-based US revenue that qualifies for Bankable's funding.
Why Revenue-Based Funding Beats VC for E-1 Tech Founders
Venture capital is equity — it changes your cap table, adds investors to your board, and often triggers immigration complications for E-1 holders around "passive investment" vs. "active trade." Revenue-based funding from Bankable is a financial instrument, not an ownership stake. You receive capital, repay it from revenue with a fixed multiple, and retain 100% equity. For E-1 tech companies with $20K+ monthly revenue, this is frequently the cleanest capital structure available.
Growth Capital for Tech Companies: Common Uses
- Engineering Talent: Hire additional developers, QA engineers, or DevOps staff to accelerate product development or serve more clients.
- Cloud Infrastructure: AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure costs for scaling SaaS platforms. Capital advances allow pre-paying annual contracts at discount.
- Sales and Marketing: Hiring a US-based sales team, funding content marketing, SEO, and paid acquisition for B2B SaaS growth.
- International Market Expansion: E-1 holders often want to expand their tech platform into the treaty country market. US-generated capital can fund the expansion.
- Working Capital Between Enterprise Contracts: Enterprise software deals have long payment cycles. Bankable's bridge capital covers the gap between contract signing and payment receipt.
Related Funding Options
SaaS & Software Funding
Dedicated capital for SaaS companies with E-1 visa holders at the helm.
Explore →IT Managed Services
Capital for E-1 holders running MSP and IT services companies with recurring revenue.
Explore →Marketing Budget Funding
Capital to scale digital advertising and content marketing for tech company growth.
Explore →Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but the tech business must generate US revenue to qualify for Bankable's funding. E-1 holders running software companies, SaaS platforms, tech consulting firms, or IT services with $20K+ monthly US revenue are eligible for up to $5M.
The E-1 visa is specifically for international trade. A tech company qualifies if its business involves substantial trade with the treaty country — for example, a software company that sells internationally or an IT services firm that sources talent or technology from the treaty country.
$20,000 per month in US-deposited revenue. SaaS subscription revenue, software licensing fees, consulting project payments, and IT service contracts all qualify. Recurring revenue businesses qualify more easily than project-based firms.
Revenue-based funding is an alternative to VC for companies that generate revenue but do not want to dilute equity. Bankable does not take equity stakes. Repayment is structured as a percentage of monthly revenue — no board seats, no cap tables.
IT managed services, cybersecurity firms, software development agencies, ecommerce technology, EdTech platforms, HealthTech businesses, marketplace companies, and technology consulting firms all qualify if US revenue meets the threshold.
SBA loans are now restricted to US citizens and nationals. E-1 tech founders who previously accessed or planned to access SBA microloans or 7(a) loans are entirely excluded as of March 2026. Bankable provides direct capital without citizenship requirements.
Yes. Bankable capital can be used for hiring developers, cloud infrastructure costs, software licensing, product development, and R&D that is tied to generating US revenue.
At Bankable, no. Our underwriting is based on US business revenue, not immigration status. E-1 holders from Japan, Korea, Israel, Germany, and all other treaty nations qualify equally.