Rentify Secures US$500,000 To Scale In The UAE

Rentify, a UAE-based fintech and proptech startup, has secured US$500,000 in funding from a group of investors to accelerate the rollout of its artificial intelligence (AI)-driven rental platform.  

Founded by Rashed Hareb and Rajneel Kumar in 2025, Rentify is positioning itself as a tech-first solution to long-standing inefficiencies in the UAE’s rental market by allowing tenants to manage rental installments directly with landlords, and already has AED 1.5 billion ($408 million) worth of property value signed up. 

“The rental ecosystem in the UAE is still evolving from a traditional, paper-based, and largely inflexible system,” Hareb said, in an interview with Inc. Arabia. “One of the biggest challenges for tenants is the burden of paying rent through annual or bi-annual post-dated cheques—this model no longer reflects the way people earn or manage their finances in today’s digital economy. With the rise of freelancers, remote workers, and young professionals who prioritize flexibility, the lack of monthly rental options becomes a barrier to housing access.” 

Hareb said that Rentify is thus rethinking the status quo by offering a rent now, pay later model (RNPL) that allows tenants to move in without locking up a year’s worth of capital. The platform pays landlords the full annual rent upfront, while tenants pay in monthly installments. “This alone creates a win-win dynamic: landlords get cash certainty and reduced vacancy risk, while tenants can move into homes without needing to lock up a year’s worth of capital,” Hareb explained.

As for landlords, the platform mitigates unpredictability, whether from late payments, tenant screening issues, last-minute vacancies, or the inability to evaluate tenant reliability in real-time. There’s also the challenge of managing cash flow, when rent is collected sporadically or when legal action is required to address default. “What sets us apart is our platform’s intelligence and transparency,” Hareb added. “Unlike traditional broker-led transactions, Rentify digitizes the entire journey—from tenant pre-approval, unit onboarding, rent disbursement to monthly collection. We act as a bridge between financial institutions, landlords, and tenants, using data to make smarter decisions and automate what was once a slow and opaque process.” 

Kumar, co-founder and COO of Rentify, pointed out that at the core of the startup’s offering is its proprietary AI engine. “Our platform uses a proprietary risk scoring engine that evaluates tenants based on both traditional financial criteria and non-traditional data points, such as payment behavior, income consistency, and housing history,” he said. “We are currently enhancing our platform to include predictive vacancy analytics, helping landlords forecast when their units might become available again based on patterns in tenant behavior. We’re also developing tools that help landlords price their properties dynamically, based on real-time market demand, seasonality, and location trends—like how airlines price tickets.” 

According to Kumar, at the end of the day, the company’s vision is ultimately to make the rental experience “as seamless and intelligent as possible.” “By embedding AI into every layer of the rental lifecycle, we’re building a platform that doesn’t just process transactions—it anticipates needs, reduces risk, and drives profitability across the board,” he said. 

Backed by a seasoned advisory board, which includes Bader Hareb, Executive Chairman of Global Partners Property Fund and former CEO of Emaar Development, Saeed Al Awar, Partner at Rothschild & Co, and Karl Tlais, founder of iAdvisory and Dubai Future Fellow, Rentify has thus set its sights on becoming a key player in reshaping the UAE’s rental market. 

As the company scales, its founders remain clear-eyed about what it takes to disrupt legacy systems. “The most crucial lesson we’ve learned at Rentify is that deeply understanding the status quo is just as important as the innovation itself," Hareb said. "In our case, we didn’t just build technology; we examined how—and why—traditional rent collection systems were slow, risky, and inconvenient for both landlords and tenants. By uncovering the real pain points (like annual checks and zero visibility into tenant reliability), we were able to create a platform that delivered immediate, tangible value to all stakeholders."

Hareb also emphasized the importance of collaboration between those stakeholders. “Connecting banks, landlords, and tenants under one digital umbrella could only work if we established trust at every touchpoint—from compliance to security,” he said. “Aligning with financial institutions and regulators made our platform more robust, expanding the ecosystem while keeping user confidence high." 

When asked for advice he'd give startups looking to disrupt traditional industries like Rentify has, Hareb's advice was straightforward: lead with data. “At Rentify, we leverage AI not merely to ‘digitize’ paperwork, but to fundamentally rewire how rental transactions are initiated, screened, and managed,” he said. “By coupling relentless user focus with a powerful data engine, entrepreneurs can identify untapped opportunities faster, and drive lasting transformation in any traditional sector.” 

Pictured in the lead image are Rentify co-founders Rashed Hareb and Rajneel Kumar. Image courtesy Rentify.