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Huspy Raises $37 Million To Accelerate Expansion Across EMEA
The company wants to use the funds to invest in technology development, expand into new markets across Europe, and boost growth in regions where it already operates.
PropTech startup Huspy has just raised $37 million in a Series A funding led by Sequoia Capital India.
Also participating in the round of venture capital financing were California-headquartered venture capital firms Founders Fund, Fifth Wall, and Chimera Capital, which joined returning investors Breyer Capital, BY Venture Partners, COTU, VentureFriends, and Venture Souq.
The company wants to use the funds to invest in technology development, expand into new markets across Europe, and boost growth in regions where it already operates.
“In just under two years, Huspy has grown to become one of the largest property platforms, facilitating billions of dollars in volume. Today, we’re humbled to partner with global and regional investors, and we look forward to working together to reshape the world’s largest asset class,” said Jad Antoun, co-founder & CEO of Huspy.
Launched in 2020, Huspy strives to streamline the home buying experience by creating a modern platform connecting home buyers with leading property agents and trusted financial institutions.
It took Huspy just one year of operations to become the leading mortgage provider in the United Arab Emirates, with an annual run rate of more than 1 billion USD.
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The startup has successfully recruited talent from some of the world’s top tech companies, including Compass, Gympass, Loft, Loggi, Microsoft, Quinto Andar, SumUp, and Uber. It also employs a team of brokers with over 20 years of experience working for banks like Emirates NBD, RAKBANK, ADIB, and DIB.
“In a short span of time, the company has demonstrated its strong value proposition for the real estate ecosystem and has become the market leader in mortgage broking in the UAE with healthy unit economics,” commented GV Ravishankar, MD, Sequoia India.
The PropTech market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.8% between 2022-2032 as startups and incumbent real estate companies use modern technology to make the home buying experience less stressful.
News
Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
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The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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