Gainz, a UAE-based financial technology startup, has announced the successful closure of its 7-figure USD pre-seed investment round, combining both equity and debt.
The round was led by Antler MENAP, Lithium Holdings, and Eleventh Invest Inc., alongside a diverse group of high-net-worth investors from across the Middle East.
The funding will support the startup’s mission to reshape Shariah-compliant alternative financing for underserved small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the GCC.
With SMEs facing a financing shortfall estimated at over $200 billion, Gainz positions itself as a vital solution to this chronic gap.
“When the Gainz founding team joined our Riyadh-based cohort in October 2024 and successfully navigated our rigorous qualification and vetting process, it was clear they were standout founders,” said Romain Assuncao, Partner at Antler MENAP.
“They are highly aligned, mission-driven, and committed to solving a critical challenge for SMEs across the MENA region. We are proud to be among their earliest backers and remain confident in their ability to build something truly transformative.”
Building a Regional Platform for Crowdfunded, Shariah-Compliant Financing
Founded in December 2024 by Egyptian serial entrepreneurs Shehab Mokhtar and Sherif Abdelaty, Gainz is building a tech-driven platform offering working capital solutions to SMEs and crowdfunded investment opportunities to individual investors, starting from as low as $500.
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The platform blends AI-powered underwriting, Shariah-compliant structures, and an intuitive digital interface to simplify access to private credit. During the MVP phase, seven deals were closed in Q2 2025, disbursing nearly $400,000 in loans, a promising early signal of market demand.
“We’re witnessing a surge in demand from SMEs across the Middle East,” the founders shared. “This not only validates our market assumptions but also gives us a stronger will to tackle the wider opportunity in the region.”
Gainz aims to democratise SME financing by removing the traditional barriers to lending. Its platform enables businesses to launch working capital financing campaigns in minutes, reducing capital access timelines from months to days.
“Traditional SME lending in the region is still heavily manual and slow, often taking two to four months for approval,” said Sherif Abdelaty, Co-founder & COO. “With Gainz, businesses can secure funding in days, allowing them to focus on growth, not bureaucracy.”
Co-founder & CEO Shehab Mokhtar added, “Investment facilitation for individuals, especially busy professionals, has always been a clear but untapped opportunity. With Gainz, we’re turning that gap into a foundation for both financial inclusion and financial freedom.”
Gainz’s next chapter will focus on scaling its operations, improving underwriting capabilities, and expanding its investor base.
With strong regional backing and a clear product-market fit, the startup is setting out to become the go-to alternative lending platform for SMEs and an accessible investment platform for individuals across the GCC.
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