UAE-based startup Ray has raised $1.2 million in seed funding as it moves to scale a network of portable charging stations across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the wider Gulf region.

The company is betting that rising smartphone dependence — and the anxiety of a dying battery — can be turned into a high-frequency, on-demand service embedded into everyday urban life.

A simple idea built for urgent moments

Ray’s model is straightforward: users can rent a portable power bank from one station and return it at another.

The stations are being deployed in high-traffic locations such as cafes, malls and transport hubs — places where users are most likely to need a quick charge.

The service is designed for speed. Customers can unlock a device in seconds using contactless payment methods like Apple Pay or Google Pay, without downloading an app or connecting to the internet.

That frictionless access is central to the company’s strategy.

Founders focus on behavior, not features

Ray was founded in 2025 by Igor Kosolap and Roman Averianov, who built the product around a simple observation: users typically need charging at the worst possible moment — when their phones are already low or unusable.

Instead of relying on app-based onboarding, the system works independently of the user’s device, allowing access even in low-battery scenarios.

Backing from mobility-focused investors

The seed round includes investors such as Meirambek Abelkasov and Serik Uspanov, both associated with JET, a company known for scaling shared mobility platforms.

Their involvement signals confidence not only in the concept, but in the operational challenge of building dense, city-wide hardware networks — a key factor in success for shared infrastructure models.

Rapid rollout targets density over reach

Ray has already launched in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and aims to expand to 2,000 locations across the UAE.

For the company, scale is not just about geographic expansion — it is about density.

The more stations users encounter in daily routines, the more likely they are to adopt the service as a habit. That network effect is critical to driving repeat usage and long-term revenue.

A market shaped by digital dependence

The UAE offers a favorable environment for this model.

Cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi combine high smartphone penetration with a large volume of tourists and a dense network of hospitality and retail venues.

That ecosystem creates frequent, predictable charging needs — from navigation and payments to ride-hailing and communication.

Technology built for scale

Behind the physical stations, Ray operates a backend system powered by IoT connectivity and global payment integrations.

This allows the company to monitor usage in real time, manage device availability and support international users without friction — a crucial advantage in a tourism-heavy market.

The infrastructure is also designed for expansion into other GCC countries without requiring major system changes.

Competing on convenience

Ray enters a market where similar services often rely on apps, creating friction at the moment of need.

By removing that step, the company positions itself closer to a utility than a traditional tech product — something users can access instantly, without prior commitment.

What comes next

After establishing a foothold in the UAE, Ray plans to expand across the Gulf, targeting cities with similar urban density and digital behavior patterns.

If successful, the company could turn a simple service — charging a phone — into a standardized layer of urban infrastructure.

Author: Staff Writer | Edited for WTFwire.com | SOURCE: UAE Startup Story