Keyper secures funding: Dubai-based rent-now-pay-later startup Keyper secured USD 4 mn in equity in a pre-series A funding led by Beco Capital and Middle East Venture Partners, according to an Abu Dhabi SME Hub statement. The startup also received funds from existing investors Vivium Holding, Jabbar Group, Signature Developers; new investors Annex Investments, Pin Investment, Al Qahtani Investment; as well as other other strategic angel investors.

The startup is also set to receive an additional USD 30 mn in sukuk financing from global asset manager Franklin Templeton Investments under a newly inked term sheet, bringing its total capital raised to date to over USD 40 mn.

Where the money is going: Keyper will use the funds to scale its rent now pay later (RNPL) solution, with the sukuk financing enabling landlords to receive annual rents upfront while allowing tenants to pay rent in monthly installments via credit/debit cards and other digital methods. The startup also plans to advance partnerships in fintech, payments, and tenant screening, and expand its platform to Abu Dhabi.

Background: Keyper and central bank-regulated marketplace Direct Debit recently partnered to launch the country’s first digital rental payments platform, which integrates its RNPL service.

About Keyper: Founded in 2022 by Omar Abu Innab (LinkedIn) and Walid Shihabi (LinkedIn), Keyper offers digital rental payment and management solutions for tenants and property management for landlords. It has onboarded over 3k residential units worth some USD 2 bn in 2024, and has processed some USD 10 mn in annual rent payments, over USD 1 mn of which were facilitated through its RNPL product.

OTHER STARTUP NEWS-

Eyewa bags more funding: Dubai-based eyewear startup has secured an undisclosed funding amount from US private equity firm General Atlantic, with the investment made earlier this year, Menabytes reports. The startup previously raised USD 21 mn in June 2021 in a series B funding round led by Kingsway and Nuwa Capital.

About Eyewa: Founded in 2017 by Mehdi Oudghiri (LinkedIn) and Anass Boumediene (LinkedIn), the startup is the largest online eyewear retailer in the region, offering products from both its in-house brands and international fashion brands. Eyewa has expanded into the retail sector with over 120 stores, including 100 in Saudi Arabia, and its first store in Dahran.

AND- Cleantech startup Airwater Co. also raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Abu Dhabi-based venture capital firm Tau Capital, it said in a statement. The startup will use the funds to scale manufacturing, infrastructure, and distribution, focusing on large commercial and industrial atmospheric water generation facilities.

About Airwater: Founded in 2018, the startup offers global air-to-water technology to a client base including Hilton Hotel Group, Accor Group, Saudi Arabia’s Neom, and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.

Tags: