UAE-based Fintech startup Gainz has closed a seven-figure pre-seed funding round, combining equity and debt, as it looks to transform access to Shariah-compliant alternative financing for underserved small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
The round was led by Antler MENAP, Lithium Holdings, and Eleventh Invest Inc., with additional participation from regional high-net-worth individuals, according to an announcement.
The investment signals strong confidence in Gainz’s mission to democratize SME financing in a region where access to working capital remains limited and fragmented.
Backers cited the founding team’s track record—built over two decades of venture building and multiple exits—as a key driver of investor interest.
Launched in December 2024 by Egyptian entrepreneurs Shehab Mokhtar and Sherif Abdelaty, Gainz is building a crowdfunding platform that allows everyday investors to access private credit opportunities typically reserved for institutional players.
By offering short-tenor, high-yield products with entry points as low as $500, the startup aims to turn private credit into an accessible asset class across the Middle East.
Through AI-powered underwriting and digital onboarding, Gainz provides a streamlined experience for both investors and SMEs.
The platform eliminates the delays associated with traditional lending, which often takes months to process, by enabling campaigns to go live within minutes and funding to be secured in days.
Since testing its MVP, Gainz has closed seven deals in Q2 2025, disbursing nearly $400,000 in loans. This early traction highlights the urgency of the problem Gainz is solving, with SMEs across the MENA region increasingly turning to digital solutions for timely funding.
The company is positioning itself as a scalable, Shariah-compliant platform aligned with the regulatory frameworks of the GCC.
Its long-term goal is to bridge the region’s estimated $200 billion SME financing gap, while empowering individuals—particularly retail investors and professionals—with new tools for financial inclusion and passive income.