Amaani raises $3 Mn from Peak XV’s Surge

Amaani, a new-age consumer company reimagining beauty and wellness from the Middle East, has raised $3 million in seed funding from Peak XV’s Surge, marking the fund’s first consumer and seed investment in the MENA region.

The proceeds will be used to scale Amaani’s debut Arab beauty brand AÏZA and build a portfolio of culturally rooted global beauty brands.

Founded by Shubham Poddar, a former Sequoia India investor, Amaani aims to create global consumer brands from Arabia. The company is tapping into the $12 billion GCC beauty and personal care market, which is growing at over 12% annually and boasts among the highest per capita beauty spends globally.

MyNaksh’s business model focuses on building beauty brands that combine Arab heritage with global innovation, blending traditional regional ingredients such as dates, black seed, and bakhoor with clinical actives from labs in Korea, Japan, and Italy. 

Its first brand, AÏZA, launched online in May 2025, has already crossed $2 million in annualised revenue within three months of marketing launch, driven by strong traction in UAE and Saudi Arabia.

AÏZA’s hero products include the Sukkar Rush lip treatment, Scent Storm hair mist, and Date Setter brow & lash serum. The brand’s formulations are vegan, cruelty-free, alcohol-free, and meet “Clean at Sephora” standards.

It competes with players like Huda Beauty, Kayali, and The Giving Movement.