Tangent 💚 Proptech

Rishard Rameez is the Co‑Founder and CEO of Zown, an AI‑powered real estate platform that makes homeownership more accessible and affordable. Zown was born from a viral Reddit post where Rishard shared his frustration over paying over $70K in real estate commissions. The outpouring of support inspired him to flip the model: instead of paying big commissions, Zown gives buyers significant upfront cash to help with their down payment and closing costs, while offering sellers flat fees. This customer‑first model has driven rapid growth, with Zown processing over $300 million in transactions and becoming Canada’s fastest‑growing real estate brokerage. The platform has recently launched in California and continues expanding across North America. Rishard sparked a movement by transforming personal pain into an industry‑changing solution.

(02:17) - The Broken Home Buying Process
(03:02) - It All Started with a Viral Reddit Post
(05:39) - Early Pivot from Flat Fee Model
(14:59) - Unbundling Real Estate Services
(18:06) - Feature: Blueprint - The Future of Real Estate - Register for 2025: The Premier Event for Industry Executives, Real Estate & Construction Tech Startups and VC's, at The Venetian, Las Vegas on Sep. 16th-18th, 2025.
(19:00) - Feature: Meow - Business banking, with interest: Unlock a high-yield business checking account that pays up to 3.52%.
(20:31) - Zone's Growth Journey
(28:47) - Customer Acquisition Strategy
(30:36) - Recent Seed Round
(32:42) - Why Own vs. Rent a Home
(34:52) - Collaboration Superpower: Muhammad and Jesus Christ

💚 Learn more:
➡️ Visit Zown
➡️ Rishard Rameez on LinkedIn

💚 Feature:
➡️ Blueprint - The Future of Real Estate - Register for 2025: The Premier Event for Industry Executives, Real Estate & Construction Tech Startups and VC's, at The Venetian, Las Vegas on September 16th-18th, 2025. As a friend of Tangent, you can save $300 on your All-Access pass
➡️ Meow - Business banking, with interest: Unlock a high-yield business checking account that pays up to 3.52%.

💚 Connect with Tangent:
➡️ Edward Cohen on LinkedIn
➡️ Jeff Berman on LinkedIn
➡️ Zach Aarons on LinkedIn
➡️ Tangent on LinkedIn


Disclaimer: Tangent podcast is for entertainment and informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advise. Nothing contained on our program constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer by Tangent, Camber Creek, MetaProp, or any third party guest to buy or sell any securities, public or private, other financial instruments or funds.

Creators and Guests

Host
Edward Cohen
Host & Executive Producer at Tangent
Host
Jeffrey Berman
Partner at Camber Creek
Guest
Rishard Rameez
Co-founder & CEO of Zown

What is Tangent 💚 Proptech?

A podcast community for Proptech and Real Estate leaders, investors, operators and innovators.

A new era is upon us. Tangent💚Proptech unites Proptech founders💡, Real Estate investors and operators🏢, Venture Capital investors, urban leaders🏙 and passionate creators🌎 who are improving our communities and cities. Join us to learn how we can solve present day challenges with innovative technology and greater collaboration.

Join VC investors Jeffrey Berman and Zach Aarons, and Proptech entrepreneur Edward Cohen, to learn about housing innovation, the future of work and climate tech. We examine these themes through interviews and conversations with Proptech CEO's, real estate owners and operators, and venture investors, and how we can leverage tech and collaboration to help solve the housing crisis, figure out the future of work and how to decarbonize the built environment.

If you would like to get your company’s or organization’s mission featured on Tangent, email us at community@tangentproptech.com.

Stay curious and always be learning! 🤓