Following a three-decade career advising institutional capital at JPMorgan, UBS, and Fortress, Plaut makes his first-ever personal investment in a private company by backing Be Belong Group.
When you’ve spent thirty years in the industry, you develop a sense for what is genuine. Be Belong is genuine — and I’m proud to put my name, my money, and my professional future behind it.”— Peter Plaut, CFO and Board Member, Be Belong Group Corp
Be Belong Group Corp has confirmed that Peter Plaut, a seasoned professional with three decades in institutional capital markets, has dedicated $1 million of his personal funds to the company’s $10M Series A round and has assumed the roles of Chief Financial Officer and Board Member. Plaut’s financial pledge initiates the funding round and represents the first occasion in his career where he has personally invested in a private enterprise.
Over the past 30 years, Plaut has assessed investment prospects at Bank of America, Salomon Brothers, JPMorgan Chase, UBS, Citibank, and Fortress Investment Group, examining tens of thousands of firms spanning all major asset categories, market cycles, and global regions. According to his own statements, his personal stake in Be Belong stems from a three-decade quest to identify a platform capable of delivering a sustainable, expandable revenue stream for ordinary individuals — without relying on conventional employment.
The Technology Underlying the Investment
Be Belong’s primary offering, RentGain.AI, operates as an Earnings-as-a-Service (EaaS) marketplace linking verified tenants, property managers, and corporate brands. The system directs brand advertising expenditures directly toward renter income, which tenants then use to cover monthly rent. A proprietary AI-driven algorithm monitors renter engagement patterns in real time, pairing each tenant with brand initiatives that reflect their demonstrated interests and unlocking variable earnings based on participation depth.
Since its February 1 launch, RentGain.AI has enrolled over 100,000 verified active tenants, as tracked by AppsFlyer [1], with an additional 200,000 renters on a waitlist across 207 property complexes. The total user base within the Be Belong ecosystem has exceeded 300,000 [2]. The company currently carries a valuation benchmark of $42 million [3].
The platform’s three-sided framework — renters gain income, property managers receive confirmed payment contributions, brands access a high-intent verified audience — generates compounding advantages for every participant as the system expands. Plaut recognized this structure as the key element that sets RentGain.AI apart from conventional advertising and property technology platforms.
“After evaluating companies across every asset class and geography for thirty years, very few present the combination that Be Belong offers: confirmed demand, a behavioral engine that becomes more effective with growth, and a financial model where per-unit economics strengthen as the platform expands. Deciding to commit my own capital was a simple choice.”
— Peter Plaut, CFO and Board Member, Be Belong Group Corp
The Weight of a Personal Investment
Plaut’s $1 million personal contribution carries added significance given his professional background. Institutional investors and capital allocators typically preserve a clear boundary between their professional advisory duties and personal investment activities. A three-decade career in institutional finance provides extensive exposure to early-stage opportunities; Plaut’s decision to select Be Belong as the vehicle for his first personal company investment is widely interpreted within the investment community as a powerful indicator of deep conviction.
This commitment also launches Be Belong’s $10M Series A, providing the round with institutional-level validation prior to external promotion to the broader investor network. The round has drawn interest from family offices, angel investors, and early-stage venture capital firms, with an anticipated close by the end of August 2026 [4].
“At last, after years of meeting founders from across the globe — top-tier marketing specialists, brilliant technologists, operators with genuine purpose — a company has emerged that is creating a measurable difference in the financial circumstances of real individuals. That is what this investment represents.”
— Peter Plaut, CFO and Board Member, Be Belong Group Corp
Plaut’s Responsibilities as CFO and Board Member
In his capacity as CFO and Board Member, Plaut oversees Be Belong’s financial growth, including management of the Series A closing, engagement with institutional investors, and the financial framework necessary to support two significant upcoming product launches: a digital wallet for rent payment processing, and a virtual card for college students through CollegeGain, the company’s student-oriented division designed to extend the EaaS model to campuses throughout the United States.
Plaut also holds the position of Managing Director of Capital Formation at Amagis Capital, where he guides investment platforms on institutional capital strategy across real estate, private credit, and alternative investments. He has been acknowledged by Institutional Investor as an All-American Ranked Research Analyst and was named among the Top 20 Rising Stars of Hedge Funds by Alternative Investor. He is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
The Founding Team
Be Belong Group Corp was established by Gabriel Bar (CEO and CTO) and Shani Bar (President), together with Chief Revenue Officer Bella Cohen. Gabriel Bar brings over 25 years of expertise in technology, e-commerce, and consumer behavior engineering. The AI-driven behavioral engine that powers RentGain.AI’s earnings model was developed under his technical direction.
“RentGain.AI was built on the belief that renters deserved a platform that actively helped them afford housing — not just a place to live. Peter Plaut’s choice to open this round with his own funds is not merely financial validation. It is confirmation that the model is solid, the mission is genuine, and the timing is appropriate.”
— Gabriel Bar, Co-Founder, CEO and CTO, Be Belong Group Corp
Shani Bar, Co-Founder and President, contributes over 15 years of marketing and market expansion expertise. The platform’s growth from zero to 100,000 active renters in five months reflects the go-to-market strategy created and implemented under her leadership. Be Belong has been deliberately selective in onboarding new property management partners, prioritizing service quality as demand continues to exceed capacity.
“Peter Plaut’s investment reflects something the founding team has recognized from the start: this platform was designed around real people with real financial needs. When a 30-year institutional veteran places personal capital behind that mission, it carries significance beyond the dollar figure. It signals to the market that the thesis is confirmed, the execution is proven, and the next growth phase is fundable.”
— Shani Bar, Co-Founder and President, Be Belong Group Corp
Chief Revenue Officer Bella Cohen leads brand acquisition and partnership strategy, having built the demand-side infrastructure that connects over 100 pre-launch brand signatories to the platform’s forthcoming LaunchPad product — an AI-powered brand onboarding engine that takes any brand from signup to live campaign across all DSP verticals in under 60 seconds.
Platform Expansion and Upcoming Milestones
Be Belong’s Series A round follows a phase of accelerated platform growth. The company transitioned from a $5M seed round to a $10M Series A in response to demand that exceeded initial forecasts on both the renter and property management sides of the marketplace [5]. LaunchPad, the company’s AI brand onboarding product, has recorded over 100 brand pre-registrations ahead of its official launch. CollegeGain, the student-facing vertical, is positioned to extend Be Belong’s EaaS model to the college student market, with a virtual card product that gives students access to earnings for tuition, on-campus payments, and student loan contributions.
Be Belong Group Corp is based in Miami, Florida, and is incorporated in Delaware. For investor inquiries, contact info@bebelong.life. Additional platform information is available at rentgain.ai and collegegain.ai.
Source Citations
[1] Active renter count of 100,000+ verified by AppsFlyer mobile attribution platform as of the date of this release. AppsFlyer data available upon request from Be Belong Group Corp.
[2] The total ecosystem user figure of 300,000+ includes verified active renters (100,000+) and waitlisted renters across property management partners (200,000+), as reported by Be Belong Group Corp’s internal data as of this release.
[3] The $42 million valuation reference reflects the pre-money valuation used in the company’s current Series A fundraising documentation. This figure is a reference valuation and not a guarantee of future value. Additional Capital Information, Stakeholders Testimonials, and Supporting Documents can be found at https://bebelong.life/capital
[4] Series A target of $10M and expected close date of August 2026 as stated in Be Belong Group Corp investor materials. Round status subject to change.
[5] Seed round figure of $5M and Series A transition as reported by Be Belong Group Corp. Capital raise history available upon request.
Gabriel Bar
MagicSoft Group Inc
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