UAE's GMNSM raises $2M to open academies in Riyadh and Monaco

What's the deal? GMNSMDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a Dubai-based martial arts and child education network, has raised $2 million in an early-stage round led by Veyra CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, alongside an undisclosed private investor. The company will use the capital to fund expansion into Saudi Arabia and Europe.

What's the endgame? GMNSM plans to open its first Jiu-Jitsu academy in Riyadh and its debut European branch in Monaco. Founded in 2022 by former professional athleteAndrej KuprejevDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, it runs 11 academies across the UAE, Qatar, and Cyprus, serving over 700 students.

The network offers programs in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and gymnastics for children as young as two, plus adult training. It plans to grow its workforce from 40 to 60 employees by year-end.

Why Saudi Arabia? The Riyadh move tracks a national surge in physical activity. In 2025, 59.1% of Saudi adults met recommended activity levels, above the 55% target, while children's participation hit 19% — reaching the Kingdom's 2030 goal five years early.

What's the tech play? To keep quality consistent as it scales, GMNSM built "Allim AIDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →," a platform that evaluates coach performance and tracks student engagement and retention. The company also relies on a family-inclusive model, where children's enrollment often draws parents into adult classes.

The signal: At $2 million, the round sits in the middle of the pack for early-stage deals — roughly the 54th percentile by size. But the bet is clear: fitness spending is climbing across the Gulf, and GMNSM is positioning to capture it before rivals scale into markets from Riyadh to Monaco, with the UK, Switzerland, and Spain next in the pipeline.

Image credit: Generated with Gemini