Gainz, a fintech startup based in UAE, announced the completion of a seven-figure pre-seed funding round on Sunday. The round’s goal was to deal with the substantial $200 billion funding shortfall that small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) face.
This daring action marks a change in direction towards democratizing SMEs’ access to Shariah-compliant alternative financing, a market that traditional banks frequently overlook.
Gainz’s Innovative approach to SME financing
Gainz, a crowdfunding platform that enables ordinary investors to finance vetted SMEs with entry points as low as $500, was established in December 2024 by Egyptian entrepreneurs Shehab Mokhtar and Sherif Abdelaty. This technique opens institutional-only private credit markets to individual investors, expanding financial inclusion.
The platform uses AI-powered underwriting and digital onboarding to speed up loan approvals, reducing the months-long delays typical of conventional lending. Since testing its minimum viable product, Gainz closed seven deals in Q2 2025, disbursing nearly $400,000 in loans. This early traction reflects the urgent need for faster, more accessible SME financing in the region.
Strong investor confidence and regional Impact
The pre-seed round was led by Antler MENAP, Lithium Holdings, and Eleventh Invest Inc., alongside regional high-net-worth individuals. Romain Assuncao, Partner at Antler MENAP, praised the founding team’s mission and potential, stating, “From the outset, it was clear they were a standout team—highly aligned, mission-driven, and committed to solving a critical challenge for SMEs across the MENA region.”
Gainz’s model is designed to be fully Shariah-compliant and aligned with GCC regulatory frameworks, ensuring broad acceptance and scalability across the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
The startup aims to empower SMEs to scale rapidly while offering retail investors access to high-yield, short-tenor investment products, turning private credit into an accessible asset class.
The funding will support Gainz’s platform scaling, regional expansion, and ongoing innovation in alternative lending, positioning the company as a key player in closing the SME financing gap in MENA. With SMEs contributing significantly to economic growth but facing financing hurdles, Gainz’s solution arrives at a critical moment for the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Gainz’s success story is part of a broader wave of fintech innovation in the Middle East, as startups seek to modernize financial services and unlock capital for underserved sectors. By using technology and inclusive investment methods, Gainz is revolutionising SME financing in the region.