Zest Equity, a UAE-based startup simplifying private market transactions, has successfully raised $4.3 million in a pre-Series A funding round. The investment was led by Prosus Ventures and Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures (MSISV), signaling strong confidence in the company’s vision to transform how private investments are handled in emerging markets.
What’s Zest Equity All About?
Founded in 2021 by Zuhair Shamma and Rawan Baddour, Zest Equity offers a digital-first platform that streamlines the complex processes involved in private market transactions. Especially those under $100 million, a segment often neglected by traditional investment banks.
Their goal? To remove unnecessary friction, reduce manual inefficiencies, and digitize deal-making for both investors and startups.
How will Zest Equity use the Funding?
With the fresh $4.3M capital injection, Zest is gearing up for a major growth spurt. Here’s how they plan to put the funding to work:
- ✅ Simplify Transactions
Continue improving the user experience by further automating and digitizing the private market deal process. - ✅ Regional Expansion
Enter key regional markets including Saudi Arabia and deeper penetration into the UAE. - ✅ Product Development
Enhance platform features and build a scalable tech infrastructure to handle increasing transaction volumes and more complex deal structures. - ✅ Talent Acquisition
Hire top talent across tech, compliance, and operations to power the next phase of growth.
Why This Matters
Private market deals below $100 million are often underserved due to high transaction costs and limited bank involvement. Zest Equity sees this gap as a massive opportunity.
“This funding milestone allows us to continue our mission to remove friction from private market transaction processes,” said Zuhair Shamma, Co-founder and CEO of Zest Equity.
“Prosus Ventures’ deep understanding of emerging markets makes them the ideal partner to accelerate our expansion, while MSISV’s expertise will be key to scaling sustainably and compliantly,” added Rawan Baddour, Co-founder of Zest Equity.
Building the Private Market Tech Stack
Zest Equity aims to become the go-to transactional infrastructure for private market investing in emerging regions. With an end-to-end solution, it helps companies close deals faster, more transparently, and with reduced legal and administrative overhead.
As interest in private equity continues to rise globally, especially in MENA, Zest Equity is positioning itself at the forefront of a digital revolution in finance.
