As the GCC real estate landscape continues to evolve, one company is emerging as a game-changer—quietly, yet powerfully. Kaizen AI, an India-born proptech startup, is redefining the economics and sustainability of large-scale real estate development through Artificial Intelligence (AI).

With over 150 projects optimised across seven countries and US$5.4 billion in added value, Kaizen AI is rapidly gaining recognition as one of the most impactful players in global proptech — and one to watch closely in the UAE.

The global real estate market is projected to reach US$654.39 trillion by 2025, with residential real estate accounting for US$534.37 trillion, according to market intelligence firm Statista. With a steady Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 2.69 percent, the market is expected to surpass US$727 trillion by 2029.

An estimated US$590 billion worth of projects are being constructed in the UAE, which is 15 percent of the overall Middle East and North Africa total project pipeline value of US$3.9 trillion.

In this massive and increasingly competitive landscape, Kaizen AI empowers developers and architects to unlock millions in added value—using advanced AI to optimise space planning, reduce costs, and improve project efficiency without compromising design intent.

The company’s expansion into the GCC region, including Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Muscat, and Riyadh, marks a new chapter for the firm, whose platform has already delivered an average 10.26 percent increase in project value for leading developers. These results are achieved without altering the architect’s design intent, making Kaizen AI a seamless and scalable solution for design and planning optimisation.

“Our goal is simple: to maximise profitability, enhance sustainability, and help developers and architects make smarter, faster design decisions using AI,” said Jay Shah, Founder and CEO of Kaizen AI.

Kaizen AI’s platform leverages multi-parameter optimisation to analyse and improve a wide range of design variables—from built-up area and efficiency ratios to cost and carbon footprint—delivering tangible ROI for clients. In one example, Kaizen AI helped Godrej Properties, India’s largest real estate developer, reduce costs by 15.4 percent, while also unlocking significant environmental gains. In total, the company has helped reduce 5.67 million square feet of constructed area and saved 712 million metric tonnes of CO₂—the equivalent of grounding all commercial flights globally for eight months.

The firm has gained the trust of 8 of the 10 largest real estate developers in India, and is now working with multiple publicly listed companies across the U.S., Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. With its entry into the UAE, Kaizen AI is targeting partnerships with developers, architects, and cost consultants who are ready to embrace data-driven efficiency and future-forward planning.

Jay Shah, who studied AI optimization during his graduate studies at Columbia University in New York, spent over a decade as an architect on large-scale global projects before founding Kaizen AI. This blend of technical expertise and real-world design experience sets Kaizen apart in a space often dominated by theory-heavy, impractical tools.

“We’re not here to replace anyone—we’re here to amplify the capabilities of entire project teams,” says Jay Shah. “For developers, we unlock millions in hidden profitability by helping make smarter, faster decisions at the earliest stages—before a single brick is laid. For architects, we provide data-backed design scenarios that preserve creative intent while meeting commercial and environmental goals. The built environment is one of the largest contributors to climate change and capital expenditure. With Kaizen, we’re enabling stakeholders to build not just more profitably—but more responsibly.”

Unlike many AI ventures that rely on speculative valuations and VC capital, Kaizen AI runs on a performance-based, fee-for-service model—charging a percentage of the value it creates. This approach has made even the most traditional real estate players eager adopters.

As the UAE and wider GCC continue to prioritize sustainable development, smart cities, and innovation-led infrastructure, Kaizen AI is poised to become a powerful enabler for the region’s ambitious vision.