CapQuest, a Dubai-based equity management platform, has closed a $1 million Pre-Seed funding round led by Oraseya Capital and AMKM Family Office. Founded in 2023 by Antoine Bruna, Marco Banfi, and Anvita Varshney, the company provides a centralized solution for managing ownership records, employee share plans, and fundraising transactions. The capital will support product development, automation, and international expansion as the startup builds on its existing presence across 11 countries.
Founding Story and Platform Focus
The idea for CapQuest emerged from the founders' experience at Repeat, a restaurant technology business co-founded by Bruna and Banfi. Repeat raised US$12 million from 47 investors across 3 continents and had 63 employees on an equity plan, which made spreadsheet-based tracking increasingly burdensome. The founders built CapQuest to bring those processes into one system that tracks ownership changes as companies raise capital, grant employee stock options, and convert financing instruments into shares.
Product Capabilities and Client Momentum
CapQuest helps startups, scaleups, and established businesses manage capitalization tables, employee stock ownership plans, vesting schedules, and shareholder communications. Its scenario modeling tools allow founders to estimate dilution from a proposed fundraising round before finalizing investment documents, while employees and investors can view their holdings directly on the platform. The company serves a growing international client base across the Middle East, Europe, and emerging markets.
Business Model and Customer Pricing
CapQuest charges customers according to the number of stakeholders managed through the platform, such as investors and employees. All paying customers receive access to the full feature set, so subscription costs increase only as companies add more stakeholders. This pricing approach is designed to align with a company's growth stage and the complexity of its equity operations.
Leadership Vision
Co-founder and CEO Antoine Bruna said the funding marks an important milestone and validates the company's vision for making equity management more accessible. He noted that equity management remains unnecessarily complex for many companies, particularly as they scale and expand internationally. CapQuest is building infrastructure to simplify these processes, improve transparency, and support efficient governance for growing businesses.
Commercial Traction and Product Roadmap
Since launch, CapQuest has established a presence across 11 countries, with an initial focus on the Middle East and Europe. Its client portfolio includes Holo, Erad, Avenia, and Teylor, reflecting adoption by high-growth businesses. The team is developing additional features, including a data room with document-sharing analytics and more structured investor reporting, to help founders organize fundraising and communicate with backers.
Funding Strategy and Market Positioning
The US$1 million Pre-Seed round will accelerate product development, increase automation, and enhance equity management tools. CapQuest is also preparing to raise a separate US$2 million Seed funding round, with capital primarily directed toward commercial expansion. This funding strategy reflects the company's ambition to become a leading platform for equity and investment management, connecting companies, shareholders, and investors within a unified ecosystem.
CapQuest's early traction and investor backing highlight the growing importance of effective equity governance as companies navigate more complex shareholder structures. By replacing fragmented spreadsheets and manual processes, the platform aims to make equity management more accessible, transparent, and efficient. With new funding, an expanding product suite, and a broader international customer base, CapQuest is well positioned to support high-growth businesses through their fundraising and employee ownership needs.