Reno, a UAE based renovation-tech startup, has raised $4 million in a mixed equity and debt round to expand its AI powered renovation operating system across the Gulf Cooperation Council. The company said the new capital will fuel GCC market expansion, enhance its AI design infrastructure and support the rollout of its new real-time renovation design app slated for early 2026.
Founded in 2024 by Marc Michel, Amr Hosny and Farah Karabeg, Reno operates as an end to end renovation platform that integrates interior design, contractor management, project oversight and financing into a single workflow. Investor disclosures and regional reports note that the round was backed by firms including 500 Sanabil, Hub71, Plus VC, Zero 100 VC, Flyer One Ventures, Sandstorm VC, AngelSpark and Swiss Founders Fund.
A central component of Reno’s next phase is its upcoming AI design application, which includes real time visualization tools, instant cost estimates and what the company describes as an “intelligent materials engine” to streamline early-stage planning. This feature set, discussed in detail in Arabian Gulf Business Insight and investor statements, is designed to reduce the friction typically associated with renovation projects by providing homeowners with immediate clarity on design options and budget expectations. Reno has also emphasized embedded financing, including “renovate now, pay later” models, along with standardized contractor workflows to improve transparency across the renovation lifecycle.
Reno’s expansion comes amid growing investor interest in technology that modernizes offline-heavy home improvement sectors across emerging markets. Internationally, platforms such as the UK based Resi have demonstrated how digital architectural services and structured renovation workflows can enable better predictability in project execution and higher customer retention. These global benchmarks illustrate the rising demand for data-driven renovation models that can manage fragmented contractor ecosystems at scale.
Operational plans for the new capital include expanding Reno’s contractor marketplace, improving integrations across materials supply chains and deepening its engineering investment to support the app’s 2026 release. Regional reporting from Magnitt and Zawya notes that Reno aims to replicate its UAE playbook in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain, markets where renovation demand is increasing due to rapid population growth, new housing supply and expanding villa refurbishment cycles across the Gulf.
Reno attracts $4M as AI Home renovation demand surges across the Gulf