Key Takeaways
- E-3 tech founders can own US companies — SBA loans are the gap, not business formation
- Revenue-based funding available once you have 6+ months of recurring revenue
- Bankable funds SaaS, consulting, and product companies up to $5M
- Australian tech talent concentration in San Francisco, Seattle, and New York
- 48-hour decisions based on ARR, MRR, and bank statement health
Australian engineers, developers, and product managers are disproportionately represented in US tech. The E-3 visa's specialty occupation requirement naturally concentrates Australians in technology roles — and many of them, after a few years as employees, found their own companies. This is legally permissible on E-3 (with appropriate structuring) but creates a capital access problem that SBA loans can't solve.
For tech companies with recurring revenue — SaaS products, consulting firms, development agencies — revenue-based funding is a natural fit. We fund against MRR or ARR, understand subscription churn dynamics, and make decisions based on your bank statements and revenue trajectory. Check your Bankability Score now.
The E-3 Funding Barrier
The SBA's 100% citizen/national ownership rule disqualifies every E-3 holder from government-backed loans — regardless of how long you've been in the US, how profitable your business is, or how strong your credit score is. Banks that primarily originate SBA loans have no viable product to offer you. That's not a reflection of your business quality; it's a policy gap that Bankable was built to bridge.
Revenue-based funding through Bankable requires no green card, no citizenship, and no SBA involvement. What matters: your business generates consistent revenue, has been operating for at least 6 months, and has a US business bank account. That's the core of what we evaluate. Check your Bankability Score to see your options in minutes.
Challenges in This Sector
- SBA loans unavailable to E-3 holders — venture debt and revenue-based funding are the primary alternatives
- Venture capital fundraising is time-consuming and dilutive — not appropriate for all growth stages
- Bank credit lines for early-stage tech companies are difficult without significant assets or profitability
- Engineering talent costs in US tech markets are substantial — $150K–$300K per senior engineer per year
- Cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Azure) costs scale with growth, requiring working capital buffer
- Sales cycles for B2B SaaS are long — 60–180 days between pipeline and closed revenue
Funding Solutions for E-3 Holders
- ARR/MRR-Based Funding: We fund against your recurring revenue base — ideal for SaaS and subscription businesses.
- Consulting Agency Capital: Working capital for payroll, contract staff, and business development.
- Product Development Funding: Bridge funding for product builds before the next revenue inflection point.
- Sales & Marketing Capital: Fund sales team expansion and marketing spend with repayment tied to revenue growth.
- Infrastructure Scaling: Pre-fund cloud and infrastructure costs for high-growth periods.
The Australian Tech Founder Profile
Australian tech founders in the US tend to be engineers first — they build real products with real revenue before seeking outside capital. This pragmatic approach means they often reach the revenue-based funding threshold faster than founders from other backgrounds. Bankable has funded Australian-founded SaaS companies, development agencies, and consulting firms across the revenue spectrum.
The E-3 visa does impose employment constraints — E-3 holders must be employed in a specialty occupation. Founding a company while on E-3 requires careful structuring (often an employer of record relationship or a co-founder arrangement). This is a question for an immigration attorney, not Bankable. But once your company is generating revenue, Bankable can fund its growth.
SaaS Revenue-Based Funding
For SaaS businesses, we typically advance 2–4x MRR with repayment over 12–24 months as a percentage of monthly revenue. Churn rates, net revenue retention, and customer concentration are all factors in our assessment. A SaaS business with 95% gross retention and growing MRR is highly fundable regardless of the founder's citizenship.
Capital Products Available
Revenue-Based Funding
Up to $5M based on your monthly revenue. No green card, no SBA. 48-hour decisions.
Apply Now →Equipment Financing
Asset-backed funding for equipment — available to non-citizen business owners.
Check Eligibility →Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, with proper immigration structuring. You should consult an immigration attorney about E-3 employment authorisation requirements before founding a company.
Bankable requires 6+ months of consistent revenue. We fund growth-stage businesses, not pre-revenue startups.
Typically $15K+ in consistent monthly revenue. SaaS companies with strong MRR growth may qualify at lower absolute levels.
Yes. For SaaS companies, we evaluate ARR and MRR alongside bank statements. Strong recurring revenue is weighted heavily in our assessment.
No. Revenue-based funding is debt, not equity. We don't take board seats, warrants, or equity stakes.
Positively. Strong MoM revenue growth is factored into funding amounts. High-growth companies often qualify for higher multiples.
Yes. Payroll for technical staff is a standard use of working capital funding.
Lumpy revenue is common in consulting. We evaluate trailing averages and trend lines, not individual months.
Not at all. Revenue-based funding doesn't require equity dilution. Your cap table stays clean.
Yes. Once you have permanent residency, SBA loans and traditional bank products become available. Revenue-based funding can be a bridge to those lower-cost options.