Estaie Secures Seven-Figure Pre-Seed Funding to Accelerate MENA Expansion
Estaie, the world’s first AI-driven platform for long-term accommodation bookings, has successfully closed a seven-figure pre-seed funding round led by PlusVC and Orbit Ventures, with participation from Falak Angels, Value Makers Studio (VMS), and Vasil Zdravkov.
As part of in5, Dubai’s leading business incubator under TECOM Group PJSC, Estaie plans to accelerate its expansion across the Middle East, with a strategic focus on Saudi Arabia, coinciding with the launch of operations in Riyadh.
Founded in 2025 by Osama Shawqi, CEO and Founder, the company is supported by Nimit Solanki, CTO and Co-Founder, and Mark Reed, COO and Co-Founder, all bringing deep expertise across technology, hospitality, and business operations.
Estaie addresses a critical gap in the long-term stay market, which has traditionally faced fragmentation, outdated pricing models, and manual operational processes. The platform leverages proprietary AI-powered technology, supported by three pending patents, to deliver a seamless and optimized infrastructure tailored to this niche.
"Long-term stays represent a massive and fast-growing segment, yet they lack the specialized infrastructure to manage operational and pricing complexities," said Osama Shawqi. "At Estaie, we are building an AI-driven operations layer that integrates demand data, dynamic pricing, and system-wide connectivity within a unified platform. We are grateful to our investors as we accelerate regional expansion and solidify our position as a leading platform in this category."
Hassan Haider, Founder and Managing Partner at PlusVC, added: "Estaie is creating a transformative platform for an underserved, fast-growing segment. Its intersection of real estate, travel, and technology positions it to redefine how long-term stays are discovered, booked, and managed. We are thrilled to support Osama, Mark, Nimit, and their team in scaling their business."
William Bao Bin, Managing Partner at Orbit Ventures, noted: "The MENA region is experiencing rapid transformation, attracting top global talent. Estaie enables this talent to access month-long or longer stays at competitive rates while allowing hotel partners to unlock new revenue streams by digitizing a traditionally manual segment."
Motaz Abouenq, CEO of Value Makers Studio (VMS), added: "Our investment in Estaie reflects our commitment to supporting founders who create new market categories and drive innovation in traditional sectors. The company is well-positioned to meet growing demand for tech-enabled long-term stays in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Beyond investment, we collaborate closely with the team to facilitate market entry, strategic partnerships, and access to key stakeholders for sustainable growth."
Since its launch in April 2025, Estaie has partnered with over 400 hotels and 1,000 vacation homes, including three major regional agreements. Guest bookings have exceeded 3,000 nights via estaie.com, with consistent monthly growth of 17-18%, placing Estaie among the fastest-growing hospitality tech startups in the region.
