AI-native research platform Yazi has raised its first institutional funding round from early-stage venture firm 3 Capital Ventures (3CV) at a pre-money valuation of R30 million.
Founded in Cape Town in 2022 by Mzwandile Sotsaka (CTO) and Timothy Treagus (CEO), the platform enables companies to conduct AI-moderated interviews, surveys, diary studies and panel research via WhatsApp.
The founders say they built the business to address what they see as a blind spot in the research industry: "We built Yazi because the research industry was ignoring the biggest communication platform on the planet," says Treagus. "WhatsApp has 94% penetration of the internet population in South Africa alone," yet most research tools still rely on app downloads, e-mail addresses and stable broadband connections.
"Traditional research tools just don't work here," said Treagus. "We've built the infrastructure to fix that."
Yazi's AI conducts interviews and follows up on responses in real-time. “Our AI asks questions, follows up based on your answers, and digs deeper – the way a real researcher would,” explains Treagus. The company argues that traditional surveys, which often rely on simple rating scales, fail to capture meaningful customer feedback because respondents provide quick scores without detailed commentary.
The funding will be used to accelerate product development, including the launch of automated voice interviews via WhatsApp; expand Yazi's research panel across Africa; and scale internationally.
According to the company, more than 65% of its revenue is now generated in foreign currency, driven by demand from research agencies in the UK, Europe and the US.
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