Zest Equity, a UAE-based fintech company on a mission to streamline private market deals, has secured $4.3 million in pre-Series A funding. Prosus Ventures led the round, which included participation from global and regional investors, including Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Lab.
Founded in 2021 by Zuhair Sham’a and Rawan Badour, Zest Equity is building a full-stack digital infrastructure to simplify and accelerate private market transactions, particularly for deals under $100 million, a segment often overlooked by traditional investment banks.
With this new capital, the company plans to expand into Saudi Arabia, deepen its technical infrastructure, attract top-tier talent, and launch innovative products to transform how private deals are executed in the region.
“This funding milestone will allow us to continue our mission of removing friction from private market transaction execution,” said Zuhair Sham’a, Co-Founder and CEO of Zest Equity.
For startups in the MENA region, Zest Equity’s momentum is more than just a success story—it’s a signal of changing tides. Accessing private capital has long been one of the biggest challenges for early and growth-stage startups.
Zest’s platform directly addresses this by offering a seamless, digitized way to manage fundraising, cap tables, secondary share sales, and more.
By simplifying the traditionally opaque and manual processes of private market transactions, Zest Equity empowers startups with tools that increase transparency, reduce legal and administrative friction, and speed up deal cycles.
As the company expands its footprint in Saudi Arabia and beyond, more founders across the region will gain access to infrastructure, which can help them raise capital more efficiently and focus on scaling their businesses.
This latest investment not only underscores the rising demand for digital private market infrastructure but also highlights Zest Equity’s growing role as a catalyst for regional startup growth; helping unlock new levels of access, efficiency, and opportunity in the Middle East’s private investment landscape.
