Zinc, an edu-wealth startup focused on making overseas education financially accessible, has raised $25.5 million in seed funding, as announced on Tuesday.
The funding round was led by Nexus Venture Partners and included Quona Capital, EDBI, Global Ventures, and Saison Capital participation. This investment will enable Zinc to enhance its product innovation and broaden its offerings, specifically in global investment tools, AI-powered university counselling, and cross-border payment solutions.
Founded by Prashanth Ranganathan, Zinc aims to help families build “edu-wealth”—a financial strategy to manage the increasing costs of studying abroad. The company has rolled out initiatives such as Zinc Honors, a comprehensive support suite for children’s education, and Ada, a proprietary AI-powered edu-counsellor that guides aspiring students in India.
He stressed that Zinc is not merely about connecting students with the right universities but also about offering a complete financial ecosystem that enables families to plan, save, and invest wisely for their global education needs.
Zinc is on track to become a full-stack, cross-border financial services platform, offering solutions tailored to international education's economic complexities. The startup has already secured a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) licence from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and received in-principle approval for a Payment Service Provider (PSP) licence. It has also applied for a brokerage licence from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) in GIFT City.
Anup Gupta, managing director of Nexus Venture Partners, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, highlighting India's growing significance as a hub for students pursuing global educational opportunities. Gupta noted the importance of Zinc’s combined education advisory and financial services platform in helping parents and students achieve their educational aspirations.
