GMNSM Secures $2M To Scale Holistic Education From The GCC To Europe

Dubai-based martial arts and holistic education network GMNSM has raised $2 million in funding from investment firm VEYRA Capital, whose portfolio includes companies such as Dwelly, ZINIT and DVC, as well as a private investor. The investment will support the company’s first jiu-jitsu academy in Riyadh and the launch of its first European location in Monaco, supporting the company’s ambition to broaden the Dubai-developed model of holistic child development to international markets.

Founded in 2022 by professional athlete-turned-entrepreneur Andrej Kuprejev, GMNSM has grown into a network of 11 academies across the UAE, Qatar and Cyprus, serving more than 700 children and adults through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, judo, gymnastics and holistic development programs. The company plans to increase its workforce from 40 to 60 employees by the end of the year to support its international expansion.

“We are seeing a massive cultural and educational shift towards more balanced childhoods  where physical activity, confidence and real-world social interaction complement digital learning. At GMNSM, our goal has always been to create an environment where children develop discipline, resilience and the life skills they need to thrive, alongside athletic ability. That’s why we’re bringing this model to more families across the GCC and Europe,” said Andrej Kuprejev, Founder and CEO of GMNSM.

Unlike traditional martial arts academies, GMNSM positions itself at the intersection of sports, supplementary education and child development. Its signature program combines one hour of physical training with 30 minutes dedicated to soft skills such as goal setting, emotional resilience, reflection and problem solving.

GMNSM accepts children from age two through structured development programs and also offers adult martial arts classes. Many parents join after enrolling their children, and this family-oriented approach has helped create a community where sport becomes a shared experience across generations. “We chose GMNSM because we wanted our child to develop skills that go beyond sport – confidence, discipline and resilience. The biggest difference we have seen is that training has become a source of personal growth, not just physical activity. GMNSM has created a community where children feel supported, challenged and motivated to improve,” says H.H.   Sheikh Mohammed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, a relative of a GMNSM students.   Using AI to maintain quality at scale

To ensure consistent coaching standards across every academy, GMNSM has invested and developed its own lesson audit platform Allim AI, which analyzes coaching performance, student engagement, and retention metrics aimed at standardizing teaching quality and providing coaches with actionable feedback. The platform is designed to support rapid scaling without compromising the consistency of the student experience across multiple markets. Scaling a Dubai-born education model

The company sees Saudi Arabia as its next major growth market, with its first Riyadh academy expected to serve as a foundation for broader expansion across the Kingdom. In 2025, Saudi Arabia reported that 59.1% of adults met the recommended threshold of 150 minutes of weekly physical activity, exceeding the 2025 target of 55%, while physical activity among children aged 5-17 reached 19%, achieving the target originally set for 2030.

In parallel, Monaco will become GMNSM’s next European location, chosen for its concentration of international families and its position as a gateway to broader European growth. Following Monaco, further expansions are set for the UK, Switzerland, and Spain.

“What convinced us about GMNSM was 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. At VEYRA Capital, we also pay close attention to how businesses are built – the quality of execution, the discipline behind growth and the ability to create lasting value. Andrej and his team have demonstrated that, and we believe this round can help them turn a proven concept into a much larger international platform,” said Konstantin Katsev, Venture Partner at VEYRA Capital. The investment reflects growing investor interest in businesses that combine education, technology and recurring membership models, particularly as Gulf families increase spending on children’s development and extracurricular activities.