SME story: Rentify co-founders Rajneel Kumar and Rashed Hareb on AI, flexibility and redefining rentals

Gulf Business

a day ago

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The UAE's rental market is ripe for disruption, and
Fresh off a $500,000 funding round, they share their vision for scaling operations, bridging gaps in the traditional rental process, and positioning Rentify as the region's go-to rental ecosystem.
The UAE rental market has a variety of platforms — what makes Rentify stand out, and how do you see yourselves positioning differently from existing competitors?
The UAE rental space is active and evolving, but many platforms still focus primarily on listings or offer limited digital layers over traditional processes. Rentify takes a different approach—we're a fintech platform built to address the core financial pain points of the rental experience. Our RNPL model helps tenants pay monthly while landlords receive their rent upfront, easing the cash burden on tenants and providing certainty to landlords. With an integrated rewards program, we're building a smarter, more trusted rental ecosystem, one that moves the industry forward.
How does the AI-powered aspect of your platform enhance the user experience for both landlords and tenants? Could you share more about its role in predictive analytics, automated rent collection, and other functionalities?
AI isn't just a buzzword for us; it's embedded into how we operate. We use machine learning models to pre-screen tenants, forecast payment risk, and dynamically adapt approval limits. For landlords, AI automates rent collection reminders, tracks portfolio risk, and flags anomalies. For tenants, it means faster approvals and more flexibility. It's not just smarter — it's proactive. We believe that in a few years, the majority of rental underwriting will be AI-driven. We're just ahead of the curve.
Rentify recently secured $500,000 in funding — what are your key goals with this investment, and how do you plan to use it to scale operations in the UAE and beyond?
The $500,000 was a strategic injection to validate market fit, test underwriting logic, and onboard early units. Our immediate focus is scaling to over 4,000 units, locking in partnerships with real estate groups, and building our credit facility for RNPL. Long-term, our model expands into transaction-based revenues and third-party bill payments.
Given the challenges in the region's traditional rental process, why did you decide to create a tech-first solution? What gaps were you specifically aiming to fill?
The rental experience in the UAE still relies heavily on outdated systems — paper cheques, informal communication, and limited payment flexibility.
At Rentify, we saw an opportunity to modernise this journey. Our platform is designed to streamline access, reduce friction, and foster trust between tenants and landlords. Tenants seek flexibility and transparency; landlords value predictability and lower vacancy rates. We built a tech-first solution that addresses the needs of both, end-to-end. Rent is the largest monthly expense for most households — it requires infrastructure that reflects that significance.
Can you share more about your strategic partnerships, such as the Rentify Rewards programme, and how these collaborations are driving business growth?
We're in talks with major real estate groups, banks, and telcos to plug Rentify into broader ecosystems. Our Rentify Rewards programme lets tenants earn points on rent, which they can use for bill payments, lifestyle benefits, or even savings. It's the first rent-linked rewards programme in the region. Strategic partners help us scale quickly and layer value across multiple verticals.
As the UAE's rental ecosystem continues to evolve, where do you see Rentify in the next five years, and what major innovations can we expect from your platform?
In five years, Rentify will be the operating system for residential
What are some of the tangible benefits for tenants and landlords using Rentify, and what are the key areas covered within the UAE?
For tenants: no upfront annual rent, access to credit, and rewards. For landlords: upfront rent payments, lower risk, faster occupancy. We cover all seven emirates and are actively onboarding properties across Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi, with strong traction from both institutional landlords and independent owners. It's a win-win system that eliminates inefficiencies at both ends.
What are some of the trends you are seeing impact the rental market?
We're seeing a surge in tenant demand for flexibility — monthly payments, digital leases, and faster move-ins. At the same time, landlords are becoming more data-conscious and want performance dashboards, risk assessments, and liquidity options. The era of static, offline renting is ending.