UAE-Based Reno Bags US$4 Million To Scale Its Renovation Platform Across The GCC

UAE-based home renovation tech platform Reno has pocketed US$4 million in equity and debt as it pushes to build a full operating system for home and commercial renovations across the Gulf.

The round was led by Saudi Arabia–based venture platform 500 Sanabil, UAE-based tech ecosystem Hub71, UAE-based early stage investor Plus VC, UAE-based emerging venture fund Zero One Hundred, Europe-based venture firm Flyer One Ventures, Saudi Arabia–based sector-agnostic fund Sandstorm VC, UAE-based angel investment network AngelSpark, and Switzerland-based early stage investor Swiss Founders Fund. 

Founded by Marc Michel, Amr Hosny, and Farah Karabeg in 2024, Reno operates as a full renovation platform that brings design, project execution, quality control and financing into one integrated system for homeowners and property investors. With its new app set to launch in early 2026, the company is moving further toward its goal of creating a unified standard for renovations across the GCC. The fresh capital supports this push, enabling Reno to advance its technology, broaden its regional presence, and continue shaping a more structured and predictable experience in a sector long known for fragmentation. 

In an interview with Inc. Arabia, Michel, co-founder and CEO, Reno, shared the origin story for his startup. “Reno was founded in Dubai in 2024 after a very personal pain point," he said. "I was renovating my home in Cairo, while my co-founder Hosny was doing the same in Dubai—and despite being in two different countries, we faced the exact same chaos: unclear pricing, delays, quality issues, and constant stress around payments and delivery. When we compared notes, we realized this wasn’t a one-off problem—it was systemic across the entire region.” 

That early experience intersected with wider regional shifts that were reshaping demand for renovation services. Families and companies were settling in the Middle East at a record pace, increasing the need for functional, updated spaces. Michel described the environment that pushed the team to pursue the opportunity, noting, “Families are relocating here permanently, global companies are moving their headquarters, and entrepreneurs are scaling fast, supported by Dubai’s 2030 vision of one million SMEs," Michel pointed out. "And right at the moment a family or a business starts growing, they’re hit with one of the biggest upfront costs of their lives: renovating or fitting out their space.” 

From that backdrop came Reno’s mission and the full-stack model it operates today. “Our mission is simple: to make renovation predictable, accessible, and financeable," Michel explained. "Today, Reno is a full-stack renovation platform that combines design, execution, quality control, and renovate-now-pay-later financing into one seamless experience. We don’t just connect customers to contractors—we take end-to-end responsibility for delivery. Reno turns renovation from a stressful gamble into a structured, trusted process." 

Reno's model is already reshaping how different customer segments approach renovation work. Homeowners have turned to Reno to reduce the disruption that typically comes with construction, using the platform to manage their projects remotely, and relying on daily updates, budget tracking, and milestone-based payments to keep renovations on schedule. Similarly, Reno’s financing tools have found traction among property investors, with some using the platform’s renovate-now-pay-later offering to increase their monthly renovation output. 

With this latest funding round, Reno is gearing up for a period of growth, with Michel saying that the company is prioritizing product development ("We’re doubling down on our tech—more immersive design tools, smarter project tracking, and even faster, more accurate cost estimates"), operational scale ("We want to deliver even more projects with the same consistency we’re known for—95 percent on-time and on-budget—and expand our portfolio across residential, office, and commercial spaces"), and the continued expansion of its financing model ("Our renovate now, pay later, model is a game-changer in a market where upfront renovation costs block customers from upgrading their homes or businesses; we’ll broaden this offering and partner with more financial institutions to make it even more accessible"). 

Michel also offered a look at the direction Reno aims to take further down the line. “Long-term, our goal remains the same: to make Reno the region’s default renovation standard—the golden benchmark for how renovations should be planned, designed, financed, and executed," he said. "We’re building the infrastructure of renovations in the UAE, with the potential to scale regionally when the timing is right.” 

Securing this new investment for Reno demanded persistence in a challenging fundraising climate, and Michel spoke candidly about the reality of raising capital today. “Raising this round wasn’t easy–any founder knows that building in today’s macro environment means hearing a lot more ‘no’ than ‘yes,'" he said. "But the investors who came on board are the ones who truly understood the scale of the problem we’re solving and believed in our ability to execute.”  

Michel noted that the company’s traction and performance also played a central role in securing support. “The key factors that resonated with investors were the scale of the opportunity, combined with strong early traction, including over 120 completed projects in our first year and more than $5 million in revenue,” Michel shared. “They also valued our consistent performance, with 97 percent of projects delivered on time and on budget, a rarity in this industry. Equally compelling was the fact that most of our investors had lived the problem themselves, bringing firsthand insight and conviction to solving it. Finally, our business model, which seamlessly blends technology, operations, and financing, positioned us as a sticky, scalable, and highly defensible player. Investors backed Reno because they saw both the scale of the opportunity and the discipline in our execution.” 

For other MENA entrepreneurs looking to raise capital, Michel urged them to be aware of the realities of the process. “Fundraising in this region is tough—especially right now—but it’s not impossible," he said. "A few of my biggest takeaways are: first, resilience. A ‘no’ today doesn’t mean a ‘no’ forever. Some of our strongest supporters passed on us early before eventually coming in later. Second, don’t raise too early. Try to have something real to show—traction, revenue, a working product—not just vision. Vision opens doors, but proof builds conviction. Third, be brave and patient. There will be months where everything feels blocked, and then suddenly one conversation changes everything. That emotional swing is part of the journey. Fourth, build relationships and keep investors in the loop. Many of our investors didn’t invest on the first meeting—they invested after watching our progress over time." 

As for what not to do when fundraising, Michel encouraged founders to be both selective and diligent. “Don’t take the first deal just because it’s there," he said. "Terms matter, alignment matters. And don’t skip on legal—understand exactly what you’re giving away and what you’re getting in return. If I had to sum it up in one line: stay resilient, show real progress, and don’t trade long-term value for short-term relief.” 

Pictured in the lead image are Reno co-founders Amr Hosny, Marc Michel, and Farah Karabeg. Image courtesy Reno.