Dubai-based beauty platform Amaani raises $3m for AÏZA launch
Dubai-based beauty and wellness platform Amaani has secured US$3 million in seed funding for its debut brand, AÏZA, in a round led by Singapore-based venture capital firm Peak XV’s seed platform, Surge.
This marks Surge’s first consumer and seed investment in the MENA region.
Founded in 2023 by Shubham Poddar, Amaani, which means “wishes and aspirations” in Arabic, is focused on creating beauty and wellness brands inspired by Middle Eastern heritage.
Its flagship brand, AÏZA, launched in May 2025, combines regionally significant ingredients such as dates, black seed, bakhoor, sidr, frankincense, and saffron with clinically tested components sourced from Italy, Japan, and South Korea.
In an interview with Inc. Arabia, Poddar said his goal is to bring Arab beauty to the global stage, a step he believes is long overdue.
He said: “The region is one of the most beauty-centric markets in the world, with beauty accounting for 10-11 per cent of retail spend, versus 2-3 per cent in the US, UK, or Korea. This intensity of demand, combined with a young, diverse, and opinionated consumer base, makes it a true innovation hub. AÏZA is the first brand to put ‘Arab beauty on the global stage,’ blending centuries-old rituals and ingredients with world-class innovation.”
AÏZA debuted online with products including Sukkar Rush, a lip treatment with date and honey; Scent Storm, a bakhoor and rose hair mist; and Date Setter, a brow and lash serum with date seed and castor oil. Within three months, the brand surpassed $2 million in annualised revenue, with strong adoption in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Poddar emphasised that Arab beauty has historically received less global attention and investment than trends like K-beauty and J-beauty.
He said: “Unlike K-beauty or J-beauty, which have already travelled the world, Arab beauty has long been missing from the global conversation. We’re here to change that.”