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Zara Zaman

Zara Zaman

Investor & Head of Platform at Emerge | Backing founders building the future of learning & work

City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Joined August 2025
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Summary

Zara is a passionate advocate for the future of education and work, actively investing in and supporting founders who are leveraging innovation and technology to address accessibility and opportunity gaps in the EdTech sector. Her work at Emerge focuses on bridging the gap between talent and industry through strategic investments and community building. medium+1
As a co-founder of edventure, Zara demonstrated her entrepreneurial spirit by building a pan-European university venture builder and accelerator. This initiative fostered student entrepreneurship and supported the translation of academic ideas into real-world startups, showcasing her commitment to nurturing talent and driving innovation from the ground up. ac+2
Zara's academic background in French, Arabic, and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Edinburgh, coupled with her experience at Ifpo, has provided her with a unique global perspective and strong communication skills. She believes her humanities degree provides an advantage in the tech and startup ecosystem, emphasizing the importance of diverse skill sets in building great companies. ac+1
She has a keen interest in social impact, evidenced by her founding of UCAN, an educational consultancy, and her consulting work with the COVID-19 Student Response Network. This experience highlights her dedication to addressing societal challenges and leveraging her skills for positive change. theorg+1

Work

Education

Writing

I’m joining Emerge Education

January 1, 2022

An article reflecting on her decision to join Emerge Education, highlighting the transformative power of education and the exciting opportunities in EdTech. She discusses the impact of technology on learning outcomes and the need for innovative educational models.

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“So what exactly is Platform?”: VCs’ secret weapon for outsized returns

An article exploring the role of 'Platform' in venture capital, describing it as a key element for VCs to achieve outsized returns by providing strategic support and resources beyond just capital.

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Notes

JLJan Lynn-Maternsaid
ZZZara Zaman
is one of their favorite investors when it comes to supporting EdTech or future of work startups.

Nov 23, 2025

STSami Tatarsaid they've seen
ZZZara Zaman
consistently add real value to edtech startups as an investor.

Oct 28, 2025