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Zayra Secures US$2.9M Seed Round to Build Web3 Education Platform

Zayra raises US$2.9M in a seed round to develop a Web3 education platform focused on blockchain, tokenization and digital finance.

Zayra's founders

Zayra, a Brazilian startup focused on Web3 and digital finance education, has raised R$15 million (approximately US$2.9 million) in a seed round to develop its technology platform and prepare professionals for the transformation of the financial infrastructure.

Zayra targets the new digital financial infrastructure

The relationship between Brazilian financial institutions and crypto assets has changed significantly over the past four years. While banks previously restricted relationships with customers who moved cryptocurrencies, institutions are now developing tokenization platforms, operating stablecoins and working with real-world assets converted into tokens.

This transition is creating demand for professionals who understand blockchain, tokenization and digital assets. Product directors, portfolio managers, innovation professionals, lawyers and accountants involved in these operations increasingly need to understand how these technologies work and how they can be applied to financial services.

Zayra was created to address this demand through education focused on Web3 and digital finance.

The company raised R$15 million, equivalent to approximately US$2.9 million, from angel investors Gustavo Guedes Maniero, Ibrahim Jamhour and Edison Raposo, as well as other investors from the financial sector.

The funding will support the development and launch of Zayra's technology platform, the creation of its content production studio and the recording of its first classes, in partnership with SP Tech, a technology college in São Paulo.

Learn, Build, Earn: Zayra's education model

Zayra's educational approach is based on the Learn, Build, Earn methodology, structured around three stages.

The Learn stage focuses on understanding the concepts and fundamentals of Web3 and digital finance. The Build stage is designed to help students apply that knowledge to projects and new business opportunities. The Earn stage connects professional training with practical financial and career outcomes.

In the Learn module, students will study concepts including stablecoins, blockchain, tokenization and other elements of the digital economy.

The platform will also feature ZAI, an artificial intelligence developed by the company to support the learning process. The technology considers different elements of the classes, including videos, audio, slides and supporting materials, and can use this context to answer students' questions based on the content presented during each class.

The learning experience also incorporates concepts from andragogy, an area dedicated to adult learning.

In the Build stage, students will be able to develop initiatives related to the subjects they study, using ZAI as a support tool throughout the process.

The Earn stage connects education with professional opportunities, including job searches, career advancement, business creation and income generation.

“Education is the first layer of the new financial infrastructure. It doesn't matter how large the technology platform is or how sophisticated the assets are; without knowledge, no one knows how to operate it,” said Tito Martins, founder and CEO of Zayra.

“The financial market is undergoing a structural transition, and every infrastructure change begins with education. Those who don't learn now will operate in the dark,” he added.

The growing market for tokenized assets

The Real World Assets (RWA) market, which brings together real-world assets digitally represented through tokens, has surpassed US$26 billion, according to data presented by the company.

BlackRock's BUIDL fund accounts for US$2.5 billion of this market. According to Standard Chartered, the segment could reach US$30 trillion by 2034.

In Brazil, banks are developing structures to operate digital and tokenized assets. For Zayra, this movement is increasing demand for professionals who understand the technology and its applications within financial markets.

Gustavo Guedes Maniero, one of Zayra's angel investors, highlighted the difficulty financial institutions face in finding professionals prepared to work with the emerging infrastructure.

“I have been in the financial market for more than 25 years and have seen firsthand the difficulty institutions have in finding professionals prepared to operate this new digital infrastructure,” said Maniero. “I decided to invest in Zayra because the thesis is simple and correct: before selling technology, it is necessary to train the people who will operate it. That is the gap the company intends to close.”

Zayra's founding team

Zayra is led by Tito Martins, who has three decades of experience in the financial market, with previous positions at Banco Matrix, Itaú-Unibanco and HSBC Bank.

At Banco Matrix, Martins worked as an executive at Cred1, a financial company that was later sold to Itaú-Unibanco. At the bank, he participated in the commercial restructuring of Fininvest, the group's consumer credit operation.

He also participated in the creation of a partnership with Ipiranga to launch a private-label and co-branded fuel card. Later, he took over the bank's vehicle financing operation.

The founding team also includes Claudio Yamaguchi, a designer and strategist responsible for the company's educational and product areas. Yamaguchi has 26 years of experience in technology, behavior and education, with previous experience at Via Varejo and digital product school Tera.

Daniel Marques, a developer specializing in blockchain since 2016 and author of Bitcoin para Iniciantes, is responsible for the platform's technology infrastructure.

The team is completed by Renato Janesch, CFO with more than 20 years of experience in corporate finance, credit and investments, with previous positions at Citi, DuPont and Magazine Luiza.

Zayra is looking for Web3 specialists

Zayra is also expanding its network of specialists to participate in classes, lectures, workshops, mentoring sessions and events aimed at the company's community.

Led by Claudio Yamaguchi, the initiative is seeking professionals with practical experience in Web3 and digital finance.

The areas of interest include: