Private Equity
Long-term investment in private companies, alongside their owners and management.
Full-time Investor
Reza Khanaki
- Private Equity
- Venture Capital
- Capital Markets
- Founder & Chairman of the Board, Azki Sarmayeh (formerly Daran)
- Chairman of the Board, Sahm Ashena Investment Company
- Chairman of the Board, Sahm Ashena Investment Advisory
Fintech entrepreneur in Iran’s capital markets.
About
Reza Khanaki is an investor specializing in private equity, venture capital and capital markets. He is the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Azki Sarmayeh (formerly Daran) and also chairs the boards of Sahm Ashena Investment Company and Sahm Ashena Investment Advisory.
He is Investment Manager of the Ashenatech Venture Capital Fund, a Board Member of Digital Health Holding, and Head of the WealthTech Commission of Iran’s Fintech Association. He holds an MBA from Kharazmi University.
Languages: Persian, English, Russian, basic Arabic
Areas of focus
Venture Capital
Backing startups, including as Investment Manager of the Ashenatech Venture Capital Fund.
Capital Markets
Investing in capital markets with a long-term view: an investor, not a trader.
Financing / Crowdfunding
Connecting capital with businesses through crowdfunding.
Wealth-tech
Digital wealth platforms that make investing accessible to everyone.
Capital-market policy
Market structure and policy, and dialogue with regulators through the WealthTech Commission.
Roles & ventures
Azki Sarmayeh (formerly Daran)
Founder & Chairman of the Board
azkisarmayeh.comWealth-management platform: online gold and silver trading, installment gold purchasing, fixed-income funds and crowdfunding.
Secured the crowdfunding license for Azki Crowd from Iran Fara Bourse, September 2026 · azkicrowd.com
Sahm Ashena Investment Company
Chairman of the Board
Sahm Ashena Investment Advisory
Chairman of the Board
Ashenatech Venture Capital Fund
Investment Manager
Portfolio: Dr. Saina, Youtopin, and a pharmaceutical project for controlled medicines
Sahm Ashena Mutual Funds
Investment Manager
Funds: Sahm Ashena Fund (equity); Amin Ashena Iranian and Hekmat Ashena Iranian (fixed income)
Digital Health Holding
Board Member
Iran Fintech Association
Head of the WealthTech Commission
fintecha.irKharazmi University
MBA
Other investments
Address Food Hall
Restaurant
Former investor & partner
Cox Iran
Home appliances brand
Investor
Perspectives
“Don’t be a trader, be an investor — and keep adding to that capital regularly.”
More perspectives
“Our mission is to bring peace of mind to everyone’s investing and to democratise their access to financial markets.”
“In my view, people who lack enough intuition about a subject won’t get anywhere with data.”
“In my view, our mistake in the capital market is using unfamiliar names instead of familiar words such as ‘savings account’.”
Writing
- Jul 2022Tapsi’s listing on the stock exchangePeivast monthly, issue 103 · in PersianAlso on: Peivast (audio version)
- May 2021Three lights outHow can the capital market regain calm? · in Persian
In the media
- May 2020Iran stock market booms, but analysts fear a growing bubbleInterviewed at the Tehran Stock Exchange
- 2020Interview with Euronews on the stock market
- May 2021Entrepreneurship amid the investment feverIn conversation with Saleh Maleki
- Jul 2026The risk the stock market can’t priceIn conversation with Mehdi TahaniAlso on: YouTube
- Oct 2026Azki enters Iran’s crowdfunding market, eyes 5% shareAzki Sarmayeh’s crowdfunding license from Iran Fara BourseAlso on: Digiato (Persian) · Zoomit (Persian)
- Dec 2025Panel: Investing in the digital agePanel moderator
- Aug 2025The market’s silence: the muted cry of capital
- Jul 2025Policymakers’ control has driven market participants awayAlso on: Aparat
- Jul 2025The effects of the 12-day war on Iran’s digital economy
- Aug 2024Stock market and capital in IranAlso on: Podbean · Aparat
- Aug 2023Azki Sarmayeh launches to manage users’ assets
- Aug 2023Azki unveils Azki Sarmayeh
- Nov 2021Daran: wealth management and investing for everyone
- Mar 2021Reza Khanaki – On investing
Contact
For conversations, collaborations or media requests, please reach out by email or through these channels.