GMNSM raises $2 million for GCC and European expansion

GMNSM, a Dubai-based martial arts and holistic education network, raised $2 million in funding from investment firm VEYRA Capital and an undisclosed private investor, per Wamda. The round was announced on August 26, 2026.

The capital will fund GMNSM's first jiu-jitsu academy in Riyadh and its first European location in Monaco, according to Wamda. Further European expansion is planned for the UK, Switzerland, and Spain. VEYRA Capital's existing portfolio includes Dwelly, ZINIT, and DVC. Konstantin Katsev, Venture Partner at VEYRA Capital, said the firm was drawn to "the combination of a strong founder, clear customer value and a model that can travel across markets without losing the quality of the underlying experience."

Founded in 2022 by professional athlete-turned-entrepreneur Andrej Kuprejev, GMNSM operates 11 academies across the UAE, Qatar, and Cyprus, serving more than 700 children and adults. The company offers Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, judo, and gymnastics alongside structured soft-skills programming. Its signature format combines one hour of physical training with 30 minutes focused on goal setting, emotional resilience, and problem-solving. GMNSM accepts children from age two and also runs adult martial arts classes, with many parents enrolling after their children join.

To support quality control across locations, GMNSM has developed an internal lesson audit platform called Allim AI, which Wamda describes as analysing coaching performance, student engagement, and retention metrics to standardise teaching quality and provide coaches with actionable feedback. The platform is intended to maintain consistency as the network scales across multiple markets.

Saudi Arabia is positioned as GMNSM's next major growth market. The Riyadh academy is expected to serve as a base for broader expansion across the Kingdom. Monaco was selected for its concentration of international families and, per Wamda, as a gateway to wider European growth. To staff the expansion, the company plans to grow its workforce from 40 to 60 employees by the end of 2026.