Mave, an AI platform designed for real estate professionals, has closed a $5 million seed funding round. The investment was led by Staircase Ventures, with continued backing from Relay Ventures, N49P, and Alate Partners. The capital will fuel product development and engineering expansion as the company works toward becoming a complete operating system for brokerages.
The funding comes as Mave reports strong market adoption. Over 70% of brokers using the platform return weekly, and the company is actively onboarding 8,500 realtors. Major Ontario brokerages including Forest Hill Real Estate, PSR, Right at Home Realty, and several RE/MAX franchise groups have signed on, with another 10,000 agents and 100 brokerages currently on the waitlist.
Real estate has been slower than other industries to adopt AI solutions, largely because most tools don't account for the specific compliance requirements and branding needs that realtors face. Mave's platform addresses this by integrating directly with MLS data and building personalized workflows that comply with brokerage and board regulations.
The system monitors listing activity and market changes in real time, automatically generating marketing campaigns when a property goes live or when pricing shifts occur. Instead of requiring agents to manually track updates, Mave proactively creates brand-aligned content that fits within existing compliance frameworks.
"The real estate industry is at a turning point, and I am very excited about how Mave will help realtors and brokers operate their business more effectively and profitably," said Raz Zohar, Founder and CEO of Mave. "The early traction has been incredible. Mave's platform has been developed by working hand in hand with the industry, and we're building towards a future where every realtor has an AI partner to amplify their expertise, not replace it."
Alongside the funding announcement, Mave revealed a partnership with myAbode, which will integrate Mave's AI solution into its platform serving over 10,000 realtors nationwide. This collaboration significantly expands Mave's reach beyond Ontario and positions the company for broader North American growth.
The company plans to scale its team to 25 employees by year end to support this expansion. Resources will focus on product development and market entry across new regions.
"When we met the Mave team, we saw more than great technology. We saw people who truly understand agents. We share the belief that AI should complement and enhance what agents do best. That's why we're proud to invest and bring their tools to our platform," said Bronwyn Smith, CEO at myAbode.
As part of the funding round, Janet Bannister, Founder and Managing Partner at Staircase Ventures, will join Mave's board. Bannister brings decades of venture capital experience and a track record of backing companies through rapid scaling phases.
Mave is also adding five industry advisors. Natalka Falcolmer serves as Chief Real Estate Officer at Houseful. Rhoda Rahaii previously held the role of VP of Strategy and Operations at Compass. Karen Yolevski leads Carson Dunlop as CEO. Richard Silver works as Senior Vice President at Sotheby's International Realty Canada and formerly served as President of TRREB. Robbie Goldfarb joins from Meta, where he led product development for Meta AI.
"AI is transforming every industry, and Mave is leading that change in real estate," said Bannister. "Raz and his team deeply understand the needs of agents and brokers and are building technology that helps them grow faster and smarter with fewer resources."
Mave was founded by Raz Zohar after a personal experience exposed the operational burden facing real estate professionals. When Zohar and his wife purchased their first home, he observed the extensive administrative work agents handle behind the scenes. Agents typically spend over 35 hours on administrative tasks per transaction, juggling constant demands with minimal dedicated support.
This insight led Zohar to create Mave as an AI assistant designed to reduce that workload. The platform functions as an AI-powered operations suite, giving agents access to tools that handle marketing generation, compliance management, and workflow automation. The system is designed to work within existing real estate technology stacks rather than requiring brokerages to replace their current tools.
Staircase Ventures focuses on early-stage technology companies in Canada. The firm has backed multiple companies across fintech, SaaS, and marketplace categories. Mave chose Staircase Ventures to lead the round because of their strong track record of scaling successful tech companies and their commitment to helping founders accelerate growth. As the company enters its next chapter, Bannister's experience building and backing market leaders will be invaluable in guiding Mave's growth.
Relay Ventures invests in enterprise software and infrastructure companies. N49P backs technology startups across North America. Alate Partners focuses on B2B software investments in early-stage companies. Together, these investors bring complementary expertise in AI-driven platforms, vertical SaaS, and market expansion strategies that will support Mave's growth across North America.
