Zest Equity Raises $4.3M to Revolutionize Private Market Infrastructure

Zest Equity, a prominent platform modernizing private market transaction infrastructure, has successfully raised $4.3 million in pre-Series A funding. The round was spearheaded by Prosus Ventures, with additional participation from Morgan Stanley Inclusive & Sustainable Ventures (MSISV), underscoring growing investor confidence in the platform’s unique value proposition.

Driving Innovation in Private Market Transactions

Since its inception in 2021, Zest Equity has been committed to transforming how private market deals are executed. The platform aims to be the definitive ecosystem for transaction execution, equipping users with customizable tools to manage deals of any complexity. With a flexible, asset-class-agnostic approach, Zest provides scalable solutions tailored to the varied needs of private market participants.

Bridging the Execution Gap in Underserved Deal Segments

Zest Equity is focused on an often-overlooked segment: transactions valued below $100 million. These deals typically fall outside the scope of large investment banks, creating an underserved niche. By digitizing and simplifying the execution process, Zest is filling a critical market gap. So far, the company has facilitated over $155 million in transaction volume, successfully executing more than 115 deals.

"This funding milestone allows us to continue in 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.

Scaling for Regional Growth and Product Expansion

With the new capital, Zest Equity plans to scale its footprint across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The funds will be used to hire top-tier talent, enhance its product suite, and further strengthen its technology infrastructure. These initiatives aim to support an increasing variety and volume of private market transactions on the platform.

“Zest Equity is building the fabric that brings together private markets in emerging economies,” said Robin Voogd, Head of Middle East Investments at Prosus Ventures. “Their vision aligns perfectly with our focus on supporting innovative financial infrastructure in high-growth regions.”