Hello, tech lovers! Today, we’re diving into the exciting world of consumer data and market intelligence with Rwazi’s innovative approach.

Meet Rwazi, a startup born from founder Joseph Rutakangwa’s eight-year quest for better tools to understand consumers globally. Founded in 2021 with Eric Sewankambo, Rwazi has now secured a $12 million Series A to expand its AI-driven insights platform.

Rutakangwa noticed a significant gap: while Western markets like the US, UK, and parts of Europe have abundant data, emerging giants like India, Brazil, and China lack trustworthy, real-time consumption insights. Traditional data sources, like government reports and surveys, proved outdated, fragmented, or unreliable. So, Rutakangwa turned to a new kind of data—zero-party data, voluntarily shared by consumers, captured through advanced validation systems in real time.

This led to the development of an AI-powered platform that provides businesses with real-time visibility into consumer markets. It predicts behaviors, highlights critical areas, and helps brands reduce customer acquisition costs while boosting loyalty. Notable clients include Coca-Cola, Pampers, Visa, and Nestle.

The company previously raised $4 million in 2022 and is now employing its fresh funds to scale its AI co-pilot and hire more engineers. Currently, Rwazi pulls data from 190 countries, primarily serving clients in the US and Europe. Rutakangwa emphasizes that unlike competitors GFK and Ipsos, Rwazi’s infrastructure offers direct insights without relying on modeled or inferred data—giving businesses a confident edge in market shifts.

The fundraising process was highly selective, targeting partners who truly understand the challenges. Besides Bonfire Ventures, investors include Santa Barbara Ventures, Newfund, and Alumni Ventures. The company aims to continue building infrastructure that captures the evolving consumer world and anticipates market transitions.

This innovative approach positions Rwazi as a key player in the future of market intelligence—helping businesses stay ahead by seeing around the corner before competitors even realize the change.