Guide Startups

Vest

Winter 2015 · Acquired

Bringing wider access to financial derivatives.

Location: McLean, VA, US

Founded: 2012

Team size: 50

Industries:

About

Vest, on a mission to bring wider access to financial derivatives and other institutional investment strategies, manages investment products worth $50+ billion (as of 9/30/25). Backed by private equity, the firm has a strategic partnership with Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBOE), and First Trust, a global asset manager. Vest created Target Outcome Investments in 2013, which target a defined return profile, with an allowance for a specific level of risk, at a particular point in time. Today, Target Outcome Investments are available as mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), unit investment trusts (UITs), collective investment trusts (CITs), and customizable managed accounts / sub-advisory services. The firm was launched and backed by preeminent venture firms such as Y-Combinator (Airbnb, Reddit, Dropbox), Payment Ventures (MicroVentures, CardFlight) and First Round Capital (Uber, Mint, Square). See more at https://www.vestfin.com.

Founders

  • Karan SoodFounder/CEO

    Financial engineer

  • Jeff ChangPresident & Co-Founder

    Jeff Chang has over 25 years of experience in financial services and asset management, and is responsible for driving product strategy, research and positioning of the firm's product offerings across all distribution and marketing channels. Prior to co-founding Vest in 2012, Jeff worked at ProShares, and FBR & Co. Jeff is a CFA charterholder. He has also held CPA and CFE certifications. Jeff attended the United States Naval Academy and the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.