Key Takeaways
- MRR-based funding available for STEM OPT SaaS founders — no green card required
- Non-dilutive capital tied to subscription revenue — no equity, no board seats
- SBA eliminated STEM OPT SaaS founders from all loan programs in March 2026
- Funding from 3-5x MRR for software companies with proven retention
- 48-hour decisions for SaaS companies with $8K+ MRR
Computer science, software engineering, and data science graduates on F-1 STEM OPT are building SaaS products that serve real enterprise customers, charge real subscription fees, and generate real monthly recurring revenue. The challenge isn't technical capability — it's that the institutional capital market largely ignores STEM OPT founders whose 36-month work authorization window creates perceived investor risk.
Bankable's MRR-based funding is purpose-built for this gap. We evaluate your SaaS company's monthly recurring revenue, net revenue retention, and customer concentration to determine funding capacity. No immigration status check. No green card requirement. No equity dilution.
SaaS Capital Use Cases
- Engineering team expansion: hire senior engineers to accelerate product roadmap
- Sales and marketing: SDR hire, content program, and paid acquisition
- Infrastructure scaling: AWS/GCP/Azure compute as user base grows
- VC round bridge: extend runway 3-6 months between investment rounds
- Customer success: hire CS team to improve retention and reduce churn
| MRR Range | Typical Bankable Funding | Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| $8K-$25K MRR | $25K-$100K | First hire, paid marketing |
| $25K-$100K MRR | $100K-$400K | Sales team, infrastructure |
| $100K+ MRR | $400K-$5M | Full growth stack |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Since March 2026, all SBA loans require 100% US citizen or national ownership. Bankable is non-SBA — F-1 OPT founders qualify based entirely on business revenue.
No. Bankable funds US-registered business entities based on revenue. Immigration status is not evaluated.
Your business entity continues operating and servicing funding. The loan is with the business, not the individual.
$8,000+ in monthly recurring revenue with 6+ months of revenue history. Higher MRR and stronger net retention unlock proportionally larger funding amounts.
No. Bankable requires demonstrated revenue. Pre-revenue companies should pursue accelerator funding, angel investment, or revenue-based financing once first revenue is established.
Revenue-based funding is not equity — it does not appear on your cap table. Investors typically see it as a positive sign of revenue discipline and non-dilutive capital management.
Yes. Bridge financing between VC rounds without dilutive bridge notes is one of the most common STEM OPT SaaS use cases.
Repayment is typically 5-8% of monthly revenue until the advance and fee are fully repaid. The percentage is fixed; the dollar amount flexes with your MRR.