Los Angeles-based startup Rwazi has secured a $12 million Series A funding round to enhance its AI-powered platform, which delivers real-time consumer and market intelligence to companies worldwide.
The round was led by Bonfire Ventures, with additional participation from Santa Barbara Ventures, Newfund, and Alumni Ventures.
Founded in 2021 by Joseph Rutakangwa and Eric Sewankambo, Rwazi was born out of a gap in usable, timely consumer data outside traditional Western markets. “There was an abundance of consumer and market-level data for places like the U.S. and U.K.,” Rutakangwa said, “but when it came to international markets, there was nothing usable.”
Zero-party data, not outdated surveys
Traditional data sources—such as surveys or government reports—were found to be unreliable or obsolete. Rwazi’s breakthrough came through leveraging zero-party data: consumption data voluntarily shared by users in their daily routines. Using AI and advanced validation systems, Rwazi collects real-time insights from over 190 countries, helping companies like Coca-Cola, Pampers, Visa, and Nestlé identify and respond to shifting consumer behavior.
The platform reduces customer acquisition costs and boosts brand loyalty by allowing clients to anticipate market trends and make better-informed strategic decisions.
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Scaling up with fresh capital
The new funds will be used to scale Rwazi’s AI co-pilot, expand the engineering team, and build the infrastructure to deepen its real-time data capabilities. The startup also plans to reinforce its position against traditional market research players like GFK and Ipsos by offering actionable data—not inferred or modeled estimates.
“Winning today means anticipating shifts, seeing around corners, and making confident moves before the competition even senses a change,” Rutakangwa emphasized.
With its innovative model and rapidly growing customer base, Rwazi is setting the standard for a new era of consumer intelligence—especially in markets long underserved by legacy data providers.
