ClearGrid emerges from stealth with $10M to modernise debt collection in MENA with AI

💰 Dubai-based ClearGrid has emerged from stealth with $10 million in pre-seed and seed funding, aiming to modernise debt collection and recovery with AI-driven automation.

The round includes a $3.5M pre-seed co-led by RAED Ventures and BECO Capital, and a $6.5M seed round co-led by Nuwa Capital and RAED Ventures.

• Other investors include Waed Ventures (Aramco), KBW Ventures, Sharaka, 9yards Capital, Protagonist, BYLD, Eirad Holdings, Endeavor Catalyst, and Wamda Capital.

• Angel investors backing the startup include Anu Hariharan (Avra), Amjad Masad (Replit CEO), Jason Gardner (Marqeta founder), and Justin Kan (Twitch co-founder).

⏪ Background

Founded in 2023 by Mohammad Al Zaben, Khalid Bin Bader Al Saud, and Mohammad Al Khalili, ClearGrid was created to address a major gap in the debt collection industry, where manual processes, outdated infrastructure, and aggressive recovery tactics still dominate.

Al Zaben, who previously co-founded MUNCH:ON (acquired by Careem in 2022), first encountered the issue when managing corporate receivables at his last startup. The experience led him to explore how consumer collections—an even bigger market—could be reimagined with automation and AI.

❌ The size of the problem

Debt collection in MENA remains fragmented, with many lenders still relying on call centres, paper tracking, and basic CRM systems. Debt collection agencies (DCAs) often depend on manual outreach, leading to high costs, borrower disengagement, and lower recovery rates.

This has become more pressing as consumer and SME lending accelerate across the region. In the GCC, the consumer lending market exceeds $500 billion—driven by credit cards, personal loans, and BNPL platforms like Tabby and Tamara. At the same time, regulators in Saudi Arabia and the UAE are pushing for fairer, more compliant collection practices.

With legacy methods under strain, ClearGrid is positioning itself to fill a growing gap—offering lenders a more scalable, data-driven approach to recovery.

📖 What does the company do?

ClearGrid’s platform provides lenders with AI-powered debt resolution tools, automating the collections process while improving borrower experience.

The company integrates with banks, fintechs, and lenders via API, using AI to score repayment likelihood, predict borrower behaviour, and personalise engagement across multiple communication channels.

95% of ClearGrid’s operations are automated, including voice agents handling thousands of calls per day. The company claims it has helped major banks and fintechs increase recovery rates by 30-50% while cutting collection costs in half.

🔮 Outlook

Since launching in 2024, ClearGrid has signed 10 major fintech and banking clients in the UAE and manages hundreds of millions in debt portfolios.

A useful point of comparison for ClearGrid’s approach is Credgenics in India, which has brought modern, scalable debt resolution tools to markets where traditional collections infrastructure has lagged behind rapid digital lending growth.

The startup claims to already be profitable in the UAE and is preparing for expansion into Saudi Arabia.

With the new funding, ClearGrid plans to scale its operations, double its engineering team, and expand its AI-driven platform.