Dubai-Based Takeem Secures Strategic Backing From The UAEs Dubizzle Group

Dubai-based proptech startup Takeem has secured a strategic investment from the UAE-born classifieds operator Dubizzle Group, in a deal that names Bayut and dubizzle as the exclusive property portals for Takeem’s rental guarantee solution across the UAE. Founded in 2023 by Rakesh Mavath and Pooja Vithlani, Takeem offers a certified rental guarantee that protects landlords against tenant payment defaults while enabling tenants to pay via monthly digital direct debit and access emergency maintenance cover.

Direct quote

“The idea came from a problem the founders had each lived from opposite sides—a landlord chasing rent that hadn't arrived, and a tenant fighting to get a deposit back,” said Rakesh Mavath, co‑founder and CEO of Takeem. “The same broken handshake, just different ends of it. It kept leading to the same conclusion: the UAE rental market didn't need another app; it needed trust that could actually be enforced.”

Context and deal details

Dubizzle Group made the investment through Dubizzle Group Ventures, its early‑stage arm that backs technology entrepreneurs building around its classifieds marketplaces in the GCC. As part of the agreement, Bayut and dubizzle will serve as exclusive channels for Takeem’s rental guarantee product throughout the UAE, integrating the startup’s insurance‑backed protection with the platforms’ property listings and rental workflows.

Takeem positions its flagship offering as the GCC’s first certified rent guarantee solution. The product is designed to address income uncertainty for landlords by supplying an insurance‑backed safety net against non‑payment, while also providing tenants with more flexible payment options and emergency maintenance cover for urgent property repairs. In addition to protecting rental income, Takeem says the product aims to reduce friction in tenancy transactions and strengthen trust between landlords, tenants and agents.

• Founders: Rakesh Mavath and Pooja Vithlani
• Founded: 2023
• Customer traction: over 100,000 units onboarded
• Recent growth: client onboarding increased by 900% over the past two months, per the company
• Strategic partner: Dubizzle Group (via Dubizzle Group Ventures)
• Exclusive channels: Bayut and dubizzle for UAE rental guarantee distribution

Strategic rationale and market fit

Mavath told the publication that three factors underpinned Dubizzle Group’s decision to invest: the product addresses a structural problem in the market, the startup’s rapid traction, and a shared vision around trust and transparency. “First, the product solves a real, structural problem: income uncertainty is one of the biggest concerns for landlords in this market, and rental guarantee addresses it directly with insurance-backed protection,” he said. “Second, the traction spoke for itself; we have onboarded over 100,000 units and seen client onboarding grow by 900 percent over the past two months… Third, and perhaps most importantly, there was a clear alignment of vision around trust and transparency as the foundation of the rental market.”

Surya Raviganesh, Vice President of Corporate Development at Dubizzle Group Ventures, described the move as a response to the rental market’s accelerating digitization. “The UAE rental journey can increasingly now be handled online—search, payments, and the protection around the tenancy itself,” he said. “Takeem does exactly that. And because a landlord's income is now protected, some will be comfortable offering rent on a monthly basis, which in turn improves affordability for tenants.”

Outlook

With exclusive access to Bayut and dubizzle’s audiences, Takeem is positioned to scale distribution of its rental guarantee across the UAE at a critical point of customer uptake. The partnership pairs Takeem’s insurance‑backed product and growing unit base with Dubizzle Group’s marketplace reach, aiming to convert landlord concerns over income security into broader adoption of monthly rent payments and digitally managed tenancies. Future milestones to watch include further onboarding numbers, product integrations with marketplace workflows, and any announced expansion beyond the UAE.