Dubai-based proptech startup estaie has closed a seven-figure pre-seed funding round to accelerate its regional expansion. Co-led by Plus VC and Orbit Ventures, the capital injection will drive the company’s strategic push into Saudi Arabia as it builds an AI-native infrastructure for the underserved extended-stay hospitality market.
Quick Facts
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Total funding: Seven-figure pre-seed round.
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Key backers: Plus VC, Orbit Ventures, VMS.
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Early traction: 3,000+ nights booked, 17–18% monthly growth.
Fixing Fragmentation in Long-Term Hospitality
Extended-stay bookings—typically spanning 30 to 365 nights—sit awkwardly between traditional daily hotel rates and annual residential leases. While short-term rental platforms rely on nightly pricing logic, long-term options suffer from inconsistent models, manual booking processes, and opaque pricing.
estaie targets this inefficiency directly. Built in-house with three pending patents, the platform centralizes demand, pricing intelligence, and connectivity. By digitizing manual operations, the startup provides property operators with better yield management while giving users clear pricing and discovery for longer stays.
Osama Shawky, Founder and CEO of estaie, highlighted the structural issues within the sector.
“Extended stay is a massive, fast-growing category that has been operating without the infrastructure it deserves,” Shawky said. “estaie is being built as an AI-native operating layer for long-term stays, bringing together demand, pricing intelligence, and ecosystem connectivity into a single platform.”
Strategic Growth in Saudi Arabia Under Vision 2030
With operations established in Dubai, estaie is deploying its new capital to scale aggressively into Riyadh. This move aligns with broader macroeconomic shifts in Saudi Arabia, where Vision 2030 initiatives are driving significant corporate and expatriate influxes, increasing the demand for flexible mid-to-long-term housing.
The funding round attracted a diverse investor syndicate, including Falak Angels, Value Makers Studio (VMS), and angel investor Vasil Zdravkov. The startup also receives backing from Dubai’s in5 incubator, founded by TECOM Group PJSC.
Moataz Abuonq, CEO of VMS, noted the startup’s strong alignment with regional market demands.
“Operating at the intersection of hospitality, real estate, and technology, estaie is well-positioned to capture growing demand for tech-enabled extended stays in Saudi Arabia under Vision 2030,” Abuonq said. “Beyond capital, we are supporting the team on market entry, partnerships, and institutional access to ensure sustainable expansion in the Kingdom.”
Hasan Haider, Founder and Managing Partner of Plus VC, emphasized the impact of the platform’s core technology.
“Operating at the intersection of real estate, travel, and technology, estaie’s platform has the potential to transform how extended stays are discovered, booked, and managed,” Haider stated.
William Bao Bean, Managing General Partner of Orbit Ventures, pointed out the economic benefits for both sides of the marketplace. He noted that the platform enables workers to secure long-term stays at lower rates while digitizing a highly traditional business for hotel partners.
Rapid Early Traction and Hospitality Partnerships
Since launching in April 2025, estaie has achieved significant commercial momentum. The platform has successfully onboarded over 400 hotels and 1,000 holiday homes, securing three major regional agreements to build its initial inventory.
On the consumer side, the marketplace has already processed over 3,000 booked room nights. Propelled by a consistent 17% to 18% month-over-month growth rate, the startup is rapidly establishing itself within the region’s property and hospitality tech sectors.
The founding team brings substantial operational experience to sustain this growth. CEO Osama Shawky is a six-time founder with three previous exits. He is joined by CTO Nimit Solanki, who brings AI and product experience from Careem and Grab, and COO Mark Reed, a hospitality veteran with a background at Finnair and Trailfinders.
About estaie
Founded in 2025 by Osama Shawky, Nimit Solanki, and Mark Reed, estaie is a UAE-based, AI-native extended-stay platform. The proptech startup connects travelers and professionals with long-term accommodation options ranging from 30 to 365 nights. By integrating proprietary pricing intelligence and automated operations, estaie provides a streamlined booking experience for guests and optimized yield management for property operators.
Source: Wamda
