Amaani, a UAE-based beauty and wellness company, has raised a $3 million seed round led by Peak XV’s Surge, in order to scale its debut Arab beauty brand AÏZA across the Gulf Cooperation Council and into international markets. This marks Surge’s first consumer and seed investment in the MENA region.
Founded by Shubham Poddar, a former Sequoia India investor, Amaani officially launched AÏZA online in May 2025. The brand combines regional ingredients such as dates, black seed, and bakhoor with clinically advanced actives sourced from laboratories in Korea, Japan, and Italy.
Within three months of marketing launch, AÏZA has achieved an annualised revenue run-rate of over $2 million, underpinned by strong demand in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
The brand’s product portfolio features signature items including Sukkar Rush, a high-shine lip treatment combining date and honey; Scent Storm, a hair mist inspired by Arab fragrance rituals with bakhoor and rose; and Date Setter, a brow and lash serum formulated using date seed and castor oil. Formulations are vegan, cruelty-free and alcohol-free, and meet “Clean at Sephora” standards.
GV Ravishankar, Managing Director at Peak XV, emphasises that the GCC beauty and personal care market already stands at around $12 billion, growing at over 12 percent per annum, with some of the highest per capita beauty spending globally. He sees an opening for brands like AÏZA, which offer cultural resonance alongside international appeal.
AÏZA has begun expanding beyond e-commerce, including a pop-up at Dubai Mall. The team behind Amaani includes talent from major consumer-brand players such as Huda Beauty, Lenskart, Giving Movement and Careem.
Topics
UAE