Zinc, an edu-wealth startup founded by Prashanth Ranganathan, former chief executive of PayU Credit and founder of PaySense, has successfully raised $25.5 million in seed funding.

The funding round was led by Nexus Venture Partners, with contributions from Quona Capital, EDBI, Global Ventures, and Saison Capital.

Launched in April 2024, Zinc is designed to support students and parents in navigating the increasing costs associated with overseas education.

To kick off its services, Zinc has unveiled Zinc Honors, a comprehensive product suite that includes investment tools allowing users to diversify their savings into international markets and mitigate risks from currency fluctuations. It also features an AI-powered education counselor named Ada, which offers detailed guidance for aspiring students in India.

Zinc has already received approval for a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) license from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) and has obtained in-principle approval to function as a Payment Service Provider (PSP). Furthermore, the company has applied for a brokerage license from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) in GIFT City.