Latest news with #fractionalinvestment
Zawya
09-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Egypt's Nawy buys majority stake in Dubai property investment platform SmartCrowd
UAE telco e&-backed Nawy has entered the GCC market by acquiring a majority stake in SmartCrowd, a Dubai-based platform enabling fractional property investments. No details of the transaction value were given. In May, Egypt-based Nawy secured $52 million in Series A fundraising to accelerate its growth across real estate verticals, including digital property listings, mortgage financing, brokerage services, and fractional ownership. The company acquired asset management and home finishing startup ROA this year, rebranding it as Nawy Unlocked. Founded in 2018, SmartCrowd offers fractional property investment in Dubai, allowing users to co-invest in real estate from as low as $150. To date, the platform has enabled $110 million in property transactions, distributing over $40 million in rental income and capital gains. SmartCrowd currently serves investors from over 130 countries and has exited more than 50 properties as of June 2025. Nawy has over 1 million monthly users and $3 billion in gross merchandise value. Its offerings include Nawy Now (home financing), Nawy Shares (a fractional ownership platform), Nawy Unlocked (asset enhancement services), and Nawy Partners (a B2B brokerage network). (Writing by P Deol; Editing by Anoop Menon) (
Zawya
09-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Africa's largest proptech Nawy acquires majority stake in Dubai's SmartCrowd
Dubai, UAE: e&-backed Nawy, has entered the GCC market with a strategic majority stake in SmartCrowd, the region's first regulated platform enabling fractional property investments. The move strengthens Nawy's bid to become the definitive PropTech leader across the Middle East and Africa. This expansion follows Nawy's recent $52 million, Series A fundraise in participation with e& Capital, Partech, March Capital Investments (MCI), Endeavor Catalyst, , Development Partners International (DPI) Venture Capital via the Nclude Fund, Shorooq, VentureSouq (VSQ), Outliers, Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures (VKAV), HOF Capital, and Plug and Play, part of a US $75 million total to accelerate its growth across real estate verticals including digital property listings, mortgage financing, brokerage services, and fractional ownership. Earlier this year, the Cairo-based company acquired asset management and home finishing startup ROA, relaunching it as Nawy Unlocked, a key pillar in its upcoming property super-app. With Dubai headquartered SmartCrowd now part of its ecosystem, Nawy establishes a powerful foothold in the GCC market. Founded in 2018, SmartCrowd pioneered fractional property investment in Dubai, allowing users to co-invest in premium, income-generating real estate from as little as $150. To date, the platform has enabled $110 million in property transactions, distributing over $40 million in rental income and capital gains. SmartCrowd currently serves investors from over 130 countries and has successfully exited more than 50 properties as of June 2025, reinforcing its reputation for delivering consistent, market-leading returns. One of its flagship offerings, Flip, acquires and renovates undervalued assets to resell within 15 months – yielding an average 30% ROI as of June 2025. The UAE's real estate investment sector is projected to reach $33 billion by 2030, driven by tokenization, fractional ownership, and increased cross-border participation – making it a prime inflection point for Nawy's regional push. 'This is a transformative transaction for SmartCrowd, joining forces with Nawy to build the region's premier PropTech ecosystem,' added Riz Ahmed, CEO of SmartCrowd. 'With strong alignment in vision and culture, this partnership accelerates our transition from startup to scale-up - making us the go-to platform for real estate investment in the Middle East.' 'SmartCrowd's platform gives us a proven investment engine built on trust, performance, and regulatory strength,' said Mostafa El-Beltagy, CEO of Nawy. 'The perfect match for Nawy's tech-first approach to real estate. Together, we're unlocking a new era of seamless property investment across MENA: data-driven, accessible, and built for today's digital investor.' Nawy's growing ecosystem includes Nawy Now (home financing), Nawy Shares (fractional ownership platform), Nawy Unlocked (asset enhancement services), and Nawy Partners (B2B brokerage network). Together with SmartCrowd, the group delivers a comprehensive, tech-powered platform to buy, manage, and profit from real estate across key MENA markets. With over 1 million monthly users and $3 Billion in gross merchandise value to date, Nawy is rapidly establishing itself as a transformative force in the region's PropTech landscape. About SmartCrowd SmartCrowd is the MENA region's first regulated real estate investment platform, licensed by the DFSA and registered with the DIFC. As a pioneer in fractional property ownership in Dubai, SmartCrowd opens the door for global investors to access prime real estate through a secure, transparent, and regulated framework. Whether through long-term rental income or short-term renovation strategies, SmartCrowd empowers individuals to grow their wealth in UAE real estate with confidence. For more information visit or follow SmartCrowd on Instagram and LinkedIn. About Nawy Nawy is Africa's largest proptech company, transforming real estate across the MENA region with cutting-edge technology. With AI-powered search, expert in-house brokerage, and innovative financing solutions, Nawy simplifies property transactions for consumers, brokers, and developers alike. Its growing portfolio includes Nawy Shares, Nawy Now, Nawy Partners, and Nawy Unlocked where it enhances accessibility, transparency, and efficiency. Nawy's vision is to play an integral role in every real estate transaction, driving innovation and shaping the future of the industry.. For more information with or follow Nawy on Instagram and Linkedin
