Life
Parents Rui Pinto and Marilena Hadgianni founded Yaya Middle East to ensure a seamless and thorough process in finding your child the perfect caregiver.
What are the core values or mission of Yaya Middle East?
RP: Finding a nanny in the UAE can feel like a complex task; that’s why we created Yaya – to simplify the process. We are a mobile app that serves as a one-stop shop, connecting families with trusted, qualified caregivers seamlessly, making it simple, affordable, and transparent.
How does Yaya differentiate itself from other caregiver platforms?
RP: Yaya sets itself apart as the only dedicated mobile app for finding independent childcare in the UAE, offering a seamless and feature-rich experience for both nannies and families. We offer multiple ways for families to communicate within the app itself – so they have full control over when and how they share their contact information.
Yaya also empowers caregivers by allowing them to create profiles and apply for jobs directly, giving nannies the ability to make informed choices that best suit their needs. Since nannies are actively engaged on our platform, we minimise the chances of families encountering outdated profiles. Our algorithm automatically deactivates inactive users, ensuring that families have access to up-to-date and reliable caregiver options. What truly sets us apart is our people-first approach – we’re dedicated to making the process of finding care simple and effective.
What is Yaya’s long-term vision for growth and expansion?
MH: We’re incredibly excited about what’s coming next. Launching a mobile app to facilitate finding nannies in the UAE was just the first step in our journey. While we are focusing on transforming Yaya into a complete 360-degree childcare super app within the UAE, our long-term vision includes expand- ing beyond the UAE market. We aim to introduce Yaya to other countries in the Middle East in the very near future, so stay tuned!
How does Yaya leverage technology to ensure the safety, reliability, and quality of caregivers?
RP: Technology allows us to adapt quickly and continuously improve our plat- form. Since our launch, we’ve introduced features to enhance family safety, such as identity document verification through Emirates ID or passport checks. By leveraging technology to cross-reference multiple data points and conducting thorough interviews, we ensure a comprehensive evaluation of candidates on our platform. Our team drafts each bio after reviewing all the details, so families receive personalised profiles they can trust. Quality is at the heart of our business. Even with nearly 100 applications a day, only about 20-30 per cent pass our rigorous screening process. Families using Yaya benefit from this commitment to high standards – they can easily access our “Top Yaya Picks,” a curated selection of exceptional candidates, or find caregivers with verified references. Our advanced filtering system, one of our standout features, enables families to refine their search and connect with the ideal caregiver effortlessly. By combining cutting- edge technology with thorough human review, we deliver a reliable, and seamless experience for families at every stage of the process.
What personal experiences or observations led you to start Yaya?
MH: When our son was born, we faced the challenge of finding a trustworthy nanny who could become part of our family. We tried the usual options – asking friends, checking with nannies in our community, and browsing through multiple forums and platforms – but often found that profiles lacked verification or weren’t the right fit. We saw an opportunity to enhance the experience with a dedicated mobile app, in-app messaging, and real-time updates – all while being free of charge. This inspired us to create Yaya – a platform designed to provide families like ours with a seamless, reliable, and accessible solution at no cost.
What were the biggest challenges you faced during the early stages of building Yaya?
RP: One of our biggest early challenges was finding the right talent to bring our vision to life. Partnering with an external developer didn’t give us the agility we needed. Realising this, we decided to build our own in-house development team. This was a pivotal move that transformed our ability to operate efficiently. With a dedicated team, we’ve become much more agile – reducing our idea-to-implementation cycle from over a month to less than a week. This agility allows us to constantly evolve and improve Yaya to better meet our users’ needs.
What have been the most valuable lessons you’ve learned throughout your entrepreneurial journey?
RP: Having worked in the corporate world for nearly 15 years with large consultancies, I used to joke with my entrepreneur friends about the freedom of ‘being your own boss.’ But starting my own business taught me that entrepreneurship demands an all-in commitment. There are no real days off, and even during downtime, I’m constantly thinking about how to improve Yaya. The lesson here is that to succeed, you must fully believe in your idea and be 100% dedicated; otherwise, it’s easy to lose momentum.
We’ve also learned the importance of resilience. In the corporate world, failures are often cushioned by teams and processes, but as entrepreneurs, setbacks feel personal and happen more frequently. Developing a thick skin, learning from each experience, and continuously moving forward is essential. Turning challenges into opportunities defines true success in entrepreneurship.
What are your aspirations for the future of Yaya?
RP: Professionally, we’re excited about the new developments we’ll be launching soon. Our goal is for Yaya to become the ‘go-to’ childcare app for every parent in the UAE, catering to all childcare needs – not limited to nanny services. We aim to create a comprehensive platform where families can find everything from newborn care to specialised services, all in one place.
This is The Precious Issue – a precious piece of advice you’d like to pass down?
RP: My advice is to surround yourself with the smartest and most capable people you can find. Especially as a small company, the right team will challenge you, support your vision, and contribute ideas that help your business evolve. Embrace technology and stay curious about new advancements. AI can be a game-changer – it’s like having an extra team member who can automate tasks and streamline processes without needing a paycheck. Continuously seek ways to improve and automate your operations to stay ahead.
MH: Keep your users at the heart of everything you do. Listen to their feedback and adapt accordingly. Stay humble and remember that there’s always more to learn. Challenges are inevitable, but each one is an opportunity to grow and improve.
