Fintech on Wheels: How Deal Drive Is Disrupting Auto Financing in the UAE — and Why Raison Invested

In the automotive trade, speed is everything. Especially when it comes to capital turnover. That’s the guiding principle behind Deal Drive — a fintech company building a dual engine of technology and finance for car dealerships.

Behind the project stands a seasoned team with a proven track record in SaaS and high-level deals, including an acquisition by Yandex. Today, Deal Drive is scaling rapidly across the UAE, already building a portfolio worth tens of millions of dollars.

For Raison, this isn't just another bond placement we offer to clients. We committed our own capital to the deal. Here’s why.

From SaaS for Auto Dealers to a Full-Fledged Fintech Infrastructure

Konstantin Shishkin, CEO of Deal Drive, has spent over 15 years in automotive retail. Prior to this venture, he co-founded CM Expert, a B2B platform for dealers acquired by Yandex in 2021. That’s when the seed of the current idea was planted: don’t just digitize dealership workflows — accelerate them through direct access to capital.

We weren’t just building tech — we were building velocity. Where once decisions were made on intuition, we introduced data. Where funds arrived in a week, we reduced it to 20 minutes.

And so the model was born: software for valuation and inventory management, paired with on-demand financing on terms banks simply can’t match.

Why the UAE Is a Hotspot for Automotive Fintech

The team searched for a market that met three key criteria:

• Fast-growing demand
• A strong used-car segment
• A lack of flexible financing options

The banking system here is conservative. Loans require time, collateral, documentation — all luxuries dealers often can’t afford. Profit can be won or lost daily. We saw the need for an on-demand solution.

The UAE isn’t just a market — it’s the regional hub for automotive logistics across the MENA region. In this game, speed is a competitive edge.

Deal Drive's Auto Financing Platform: SaaS Meets Ownership-Based Model

The Platform (SaaS)

Covers the full dealership cycle — from vehicle discovery and appraisal to inventory management and analytics. Its core feature is the Live Market Pricing Tool, aggregating data from over 3 million listings in real time.

It’s like Google Maps for used cars. A single day can shift prices by 5%. We give dealers something they’ve never had before — a coordinate system.

The Financing Model

Deal Drive doesn't extend credit — it acquires the car itself. Here's how it works:

• The dealer pays a deposit (10–30%)
• Deal Drive purchases the vehicle at a discount (60–80% of market price)
• Ownership remains with Deal Drive until the car is sold
• If unsold after 90 days, the dealer buys it back

It’s the fastest and cleanest way to protect capital. We don’t rely on collateral or promises — we own the asset. And if the deal fails, we know how to sell it.

Why Traditional Banks Can’t Compete with Fintech Speed

At first glance, car dealership financing seems like a job for banks. But the reality is different.

A bank means contracts, delays, restrictions. We offer a platform, a request form, and a 20-minute turnaround. We’re not just faster — we operate in real time.

Dealers can’t afford to wait a week for bank approval. With Deal Drive, financing decisions are made in minutes, backed by transparent data and a rigorously tested framework.

What’s Next for Deal Drive: Saudi Arabia, MENA Expansion, and Beyond

The company is already piloting its model in other markets. The next target: Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is three times the size. We’re also testing in Europe and Asia. The product is agile, it adapts. And we’re clear on where and with whom we want to grow.

Why Raison Invested Directly into Deal Drive’s Fintech Model

For Raison, Deal Drive wasn’t just an external opportunity — it was a direct investment, underpinned by a full-scope due diligence process.

Andrey Berezin, Co-Founder of Raison:

We put our own money into this deal. Before that, we went deep: from ownership structure to CRM exports and bank statements. They showed us everything. Even closed a few deals early to clear any remaining questions.

A strong team, mature tech, full asset protection, and a clear product in a high-demand market — Deal Drive checked all the right boxes for us.

Looking Ahead

In the next six months, Deal Drive plans to grow its working capital base and expand into new markets. At Raison, we’re watching closely and will continue to share updates.

Who knows — next time we might tell you how we road-tested a Rolls-Royce Cullinan before putting it on the market, Konstantin jokes.

If you'd like to dive deeper into the investment logic behind Deal Drive — and hear Konstantin Shishkin's vision firsthand — you can watch the full recording of our private session at the link below. Please note: the discussion is conducted in Russian. Link