UAE's Zest Equity raises $3.8M in seed round

Zest Equity, a UAE-based startup that digitises private market transactions, has raised $3.8 million in a seed round.

The fundraising was led by Middle East Venture Partners, with the participation of government-backed Dubai Future District Fund (DFDF) and DASH Ventures.

The capital will be used to support the Hub71 startup’s plans to expand its product offering in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, according to a statement on Zawya.

So far, Zest Equity has raised $5.7 million from early investors such as DFDF, 500 Sanabil, Nuwa Capital, and a large group of regional angel investors, founders, and family offices.

DFDF, established by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is a Dubai venture fund that supports tech startups. Its founding shareholders are Dubai International Financial Centre and Dubai Future Foundation.

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Zest Equity, founded in 2021, is a digital platform for entrepreneurs to manage transactions and group investors in a single legal framework. It joined Hub71, Abu Dhabi's global tech ecosystem, in early 2021, gaining access to a diverse community of partners and investors for growth.

Rawan Baddour, Co-founder of Zest Equity, said the company is developing a comprehensive tool to reduce costs and complexities in traditional private market transactions.

"Our platform streamlines transactions for stakeholders in private companies, enabling pre-approved and transparent transactions for founders, investors, and employees, benefitting from liquidity," he said.