Rwazi, an emerging player in consumer intelligence technology, has closed a $12 million Series A funding round to expand its AI-powered platform for real-time market insights. The round was led by Bonfire Ventures, which also backed the startup’s $4 million seed funding in 2022. Other participants included Santa Barbara Ventures, Newfund, and Alumni Ventures, all betting on Rwazi’s potential to reshape how global companies understand and engage with their customers.
Building an Answer to Data Gaps in Global Markets
The company was founded in 2021 by Joseph Rutakangwa and Eric Sewankambo after Rutakangwa spent nearly a decade searching unsuccessfully for reliable tools to collect consumer data beyond mature markets. While countries like the United States and the U.K. benefit from robust, accessible consumption data, many large economies remain underserved. Rutakangwa noted that in markets such as India, Brazil, and China, companies struggled to access timely, accurate information about consumer behavior and purchasing patterns.
From Outdated Reports to Zero-Party Data
Initially, the founders explored purchasing datasets from government agencies and consumer research firms, only to discover most information was either fragmented or outdated. Rutakangwa soon realized conventional surveys and panel-based research also failed to capture authentic, real-time consumption insights. This led to the creation of Rwazi’s proprietary system that collects what it calls zero-party data—information that consumers voluntarily share about their habits, verified through advanced validation technologies.
AI-Powered Platform Gaining Major Clients
Rwazi’s platform enables companies to track consumption trends across 190 countries, giving them granular visibility into evolving consumer preferences. The company’s clients include industry heavyweights such as Coca-Cola, Pampers, Visa, and Nestlé, who leverage Rwazi’s tools to forecast demand and improve customer engagement. By offering live access to validated data, Rwazi aims to help businesses reduce customer acquisition costs and strengthen loyalty.
Differentiating From Established Competitors
While established firms like GFK and Ipsos have long dominated the consumer insights industry, Rwazi positions itself as a more agile alternative. Unlike legacy providers that rely heavily on modeled or inferred data, Rwazi emphasizes the authenticity of its real-time, directly sourced consumption information. Rutakangwa believes this advantage allows brands to make confident decisions faster, anticipating shifts in demand before competitors react.
Strategic Focus on Expansion and Product Development
The fresh funding will fuel efforts to scale Rwazi’s AI co-pilot, a feature designed to help clients automate decision-making based on live data streams. The company also plans to grow its engineering team to accelerate product development and support an expanding roster of enterprise customers. Rutakangwa described the fundraising approach as highly selective, focusing on investors who fully grasped the magnitude of the data gap Rwazi is addressing.
Vision for the Future of Consumer Intelligence
With its infrastructure spanning nearly every country, Rwazi aspires to redefine how organizations access and apply consumer insights worldwide. Rutakangwa sees the platform not just as a research tool but as a bridge between insight and action—empowering brands to predict shifts and deploy strategies in real time. As more companies seek accurate intelligence to navigate volatile markets, Rwazi is positioning itself at the center of this transformation.
By closing its Series A and accelerating product development, Rwazi is making a decisive move to establish itself as a leader in consumer intelligence technology. As traditional methods struggle to keep pace with the speed and complexity of modern markets, the company’s model of real-time, zero-party data offers a compelling alternative. With ambitions to set a new global standard, Rwazi is betting that the future of market intelligence lies in immediacy, transparency, and actionable insight.
Source: TechCrunch