On August 25, 2025, two very different but equally groundbreaking advances in housing and homeownership were announced on opposite sides of the globe. In the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, FinTech platform Holo revealed it had secured a $22 million Series A funding round to further revolutionize the home-buying experience in the region. Meanwhile, in Australia, Contec—a construction and design agency—unveiled the completion of the country’s first fully 3D printed two-story family home in Tapping, Perth. While the stories are separated by continents and cultures, both signal a future where technology is not just reshaping, but fundamentally reimagining, the way people find, finance, and live in their homes.
Let’s start in the Middle East, where Holo is making waves in the traditionally opaque world of home financing. According to FinTech Global, Holo’s $22 million Series A round was led by Saudi Arabia’s Impact46, with heavyweight investors like Mubadala Investment Company, Rua Growth Fund, anb seed, MoreThan Capital, Salica Oryx Fund, and Dubai Future District Fund also participating. Holo’s platform is designed to connect homebuyers directly with lenders, offering personalized mortgage solutions sourced from over 500 products across various banks. The company’s goal? To simplify and clarify a process that has long been a source of stress and confusion for would-be homeowners in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
"Holo is bringing much-needed clarity to a process that’s long been opaque. By streamlining access to lenders and giving users full control of their home financing journey, they’re reshaping how people buy homes across the region," said Basmah AlSinaidi, managing partner at Impact46, in a statement to FinTech Global. AlSinaidi emphasized that Holo’s recent expansion into Saudi Arabia isn’t just about company growth—it’s a reflection of a larger shift in consumer expectations and the rising demand for seamless, tech-driven homeownership experiences.
The capital infusion will be used to enhance Holo’s product capabilities and accelerate team growth, with a particular focus on investing in regional talent. Ali Al Mheiri, executive director of UAE diversified assets at Mubadala, explained the investment’s strategic rationale: "Our investment in Holo comes from our belief in the strength of its vision, leadership, and ability to reshape how people navigate the home-buying journey. It also reflects our confidence in the UAE’s strong and resilient real estate market, and the growing role of fintech in shaping the future of property ownership across the region."
But why does this matter? For decades, homeownership in the Gulf has been a complex affair, with paperwork, opaque lending terms, and a lack of transparency often frustrating buyers. Holo’s digital-first approach aims to break down these barriers, enabling users to compare mortgage options, track their application progress, and ultimately make more informed decisions. The platform’s vast network of lender partners means buyers can access a wide variety of products tailored to their personal circumstances, something that was previously difficult, if not impossible, to achieve through traditional channels.
Mubadala’s Al Mheiri also pointed to the broader economic impact of investments like this, noting, "At Mubadala, we are committed to backing innovative platforms that align with our mandate to deliver economic diversification. This partnership is a strong example of how collaboration can accelerate the UAE’s economic transformation and unlock real value for communities through technology-driven solutions." In short, Holo’s efforts are not just about helping individuals buy homes—they’re part of a larger movement to modernize and diversify the region’s economies.
Half a world away, another revolution in housing is taking shape—quite literally. In Tapping, a suburb of Perth, Contec has completed Australia’s very first fully 3D printed two-story family home. According to 3Dnatives, the project—dubbed the Tapping Residence—marks a significant leap forward for additive manufacturing in construction. Unlike earlier 3D printed homes, which were typically single-story and relied on traditional framing for upper levels, this residence is a true multi-story structure, built without conventional support systems.
The technological feat was achieved using a robotic printer from Dutch company CyBE, which extrudes a specially formulated concrete mixture layer by layer directly on site. The shell of the house was completed in under 18 hours—a timeline that would make most traditional builders do a double take. The concrete itself is no ordinary mix: it sets within minutes and boasts a compressive strength of nearly 50 MPa, more than three times that of standard brickwork. It’s also cyclone-rated, fire and water resistant, and termite-proof—attributes that are especially valuable in Australia’s challenging climate.
After the shell was completed, the interior of the house—including plumbing, electronics, and finishing touches—was wrapped up over the next five months. The finished home features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a garage, and a small balcony. Large windows with extensive glazing brighten the front, while the ribbed texture of the printed walls is balanced by smooth, modern finishes inside. Contec reported that the entire project cost about 22% less than an equivalent masonry house, underscoring one of the key promises of 3D printed construction: affordability. Reduced labor costs and dramatically shortened timelines make this technology especially attractive as Australia and many other countries grapple with housing shortages and affordability crises.
But it’s not just about cost. The Tapping Residence also sets new standards for durability, sustainability, and energy efficiency. The concrete’s thermal and acoustic properties mean the house is both comfortable and environmentally friendly. As 3Dnatives points out, the project "showcases how additive manufacturing is moving beyond just prototypes and experimental builds. Nowadays, 3D printed developments are delivering real and durable homes that meet and often exceed building standards." With the technology now scalable across both Perth and regional Western Australia, the potential for 3D concrete printing to reshape the future of affordable, sustainable housing is significant.
What ties these two stories together? At their core, both Holo and Contec are using technology to make homeownership more accessible, affordable, and transparent. Whether it’s through digital platforms that demystify mortgage options or robots that lay down homes in a matter of hours, the future of housing is being written today—one click, one layer of concrete at a time.
As the dust settles on these announcements, one thing is clear: the intersection of finance and construction technology is no longer a distant dream. It’s happening now, and it’s changing the way we think about where—and how—we live.