UAE Gifting Platform CADO Raises $4.5M Pre-Seed Funding to Drive Regional and Global Expansion
- ByStartupStory | November 2, 2025
UAE Gifting Platform CADO Raises $4.5M Pre-Seed Funding to Drive Regional and Global Expansion
Dubai-based premium gifting startup CADO has closed a $4.5 million pre-seed funding round led by Sanabil 500, alongside a German family office and several high-net-worth and angel investors. Founded in 2019 by Leila Al Marashi, CADO aims to transform the corporate gifting space by blending creativity, logistics, and technology to deliver a smart, seamless, and emotionally meaningful gifting experience.
From its origins as a three-person startup in Dubai, CADO has grown into a regional leader operating across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United States. The platform’s innovative approach digitalizes and elevates gifting, catering to more than 500 international client partners including luxury brands like Cartier, Gucci, and Ralph Lauren, as well as major corporations such as Netflix, LinkedIn, and American Express.
With this fresh capital injection, CADO plans to accelerate its growth in Saudi Arabia, focusing on building a vibrant community ecosystem connecting artisans, suppliers, artists, and investors to embed creativity and local value in its supply chain. Additionally, the company is gearing up for its international expansion, with a strategic launch planned in New York to tap the US market and serve multinational clients locally.
Leila Al Marashi, Founder and CEO, emphasized, “Our vision is to modernize and elevate the art of gifting by blending innovation with meaning, making every gesture effortless yet deeply personal.” She highlighted the success of expanding regionally as a significant milestone in realizing this vision.
Sanabil 500 Managing Partner Amal Dokhan expressed strong confidence in CADO’s pioneering model: “They are redefining modern gifting to reflect today’s connected world by merging creativity, technology, and cultural relevance, establishing a new global category rooted in human connection.”
This funding round follows the company’s high-profile appearance on Shark Tank UAE and positions CADO as the first global gifting powerhouse emerging from the Middle East—a bridge between local craftsmanship and global innovations shaping the future of luxury corporate gifting.
In summary, CADO’s $4.5 million pre-seed funding strengthens its regional leadership and international aspirations. By combining cultural authenticity with cutting-edge technology, the startup is poised to revolutionize corporate gifting across the MENA region and beyond.
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