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- GymNation Secures $100M; RemotePass Raises $17.4M; Century 21 Establishes Dubai HQ
GymNation Secures $100M; RemotePass Raises $17.4M; Century 21 Establishes Dubai HQ
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Thursday, May 21, 2026
Happy Thursday everyone!
GymNation has secured a $100 million private credit facility from HPS Investment Partners to expand its fitness pipeline to over 100 GCC locations and enter Asia. Simultaneously, Dubai-born fintech platform RemotePass raised $17.4 million in Series B funding to grow its international payroll services across Europe and the US after crossing $800 million in processed transactions. Meanwhile, Century 21 launched its regional Middle East headquarters in Dubai under Managing Director Alex Pearson to capture a share of the market's AED 252 billion in first-quarter property transactions.
In the wake of developments in the region, we hope everyone stays safe. At this critical moment, it is essential to remain united and follow guidance issued by official authorities from your country.
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GymNation Secures $100 Million Credit Facility to Fuel Expansion
What Is It About?
GymNation has secured a $100 million private credit facility from funds managed by HPS Investment Partners, which is owned by BlackRock. The budget will help the fitness brand open more than 100 locations across the GCC over the next three years. The company, which already operates close to 50 branches in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain, also plans to expand into Asia and buy new machine learning infrastructure.
Why It Matters?
Landing this scale of funding from a major global investor like HPS shows deep confidence in the Gulf's consumer market. Rather than relying entirely on local bank loans, regional brands are increasingly pulling in international institutional credit. This allows GymNation to scale fast enough to crowd out smaller competitors while building out a tech layer to manage its growing user base.
What’s Next?
Watch for a sudden jump in new gym openings in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain as the money drops. The company will also likely start recruiting technical teams in Dubai to build out the planned AI tools for member management and scheduling.
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RemotePass Locks in $17.4 Million Following Global Profit Push
What Is It About?
Hrtech and payroll platform RemotePass has raised $17.4 million in a Series B funding round. The firm has already handled more than $800 million in cross-border wages for 35,000 workers across 150 countries. After reaching profitability earlier this year, the company plans to use the new cash to expand its financial products and global debit cards deeper into the US and Europe.
Why It Matters?
Managing international payroll is a messy process for remote companies. By combining payment tracking, compliance, and corporate spending into a single dashboard, RemotePass has managed to build a profitable business where many tech startups are struggling. The successful funding round highlights that investors are willing to back platforms that show real revenue rather than just user growth.
What’s Next?
The firm will focus on launching its corporate debit cards in the US market over the coming months. It will also face tougher competition from established Western payroll providers as it tries to replicate its regional success overseas.
Century 21 Launches Middle East Hub in Dubai Property Market
What Is It About?
Century 21 has officially opened its regional headquarters in Dubai to coordinate its expansion across the Middle East. The global brand enters the market during a massive growth phase, with local transactions rising 31% to AED 252 billion in the first quarter of 2026. Led by Peter Matthews and Alex Pearson, the office will use an AI-driven software platform called Senda to link local listings with buyers overseas.
Why It Matters?
With a network of 400,000 members across 82 countries, Century 21’s arrival will likely redirect more foreign capital into local off-plan properties. The city's population is on track to hit six million by 2033, creating clear demand for residential real estate. By launching an integrated global sales tool, the firm can source buyers from places like Mumbai or London entirely within its own system.
What’s Next?
The local office plans to focus on broker quality rather than hiring a massive volume of agents right away. Watch for how other traditional brokerages in the city respond as Century 21 starts using its proprietary software to secure exclusive off-plan inventory from major developers.
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🔍In other news…
Emirates expands free Starlink WiFi rollout across Europe, Asia and the Americas
Trump-backed Hormuz ship insurance facility has yet to process a single deal
Abu Dhabi backs $13 billion US gas project as Middle East energy disruptions intensify
UAE fitness brand SQUATWOLF is officially opening its first Saudi store in Riyadh
🦄 World of Startups
Dubai gifting marketplace Udora secures $10M
Saudi fashion platform Aya secures $7m to scale real time production
Jordan-based Tamatem has acquired Istanbul-founded Playable Factory, strengthening its push into performance marketing and user acquisition.
Egypt’s Lucky Raises USD 23M Series B. Its Consumer Credit Model is Expanding Into North Africa
“We Got Funded!” Maison Safqa Raises US$620,000 in Pre-Seed Funding to Expand Luxury Flash-Sale Platform Across GCC
Via Separations, US-based deeptech startup, raised $36M in funding from Aramco Ventures (Saudi), and other global investors.
