Yazi Business Summary Outlining Investment Case

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Yazi Business Summary Outlining Investment Case

Yazi Business Summary Outlining Investment Case

Memo

Overview

Yazi is a WhatsApp-based research platform revolutionising how brands collect and engage with qualitative data, especially in emerging markets. By leveraging WhatsApp’s massive user base and unique data collection capabilities, Yazi captures rich insights that traditional methods miss – at a fraction of the cost and time. Our vision extends beyond WhatsApp—Yazi aims to redefine the global research industry by fixing the limitations of outdated methodologies and making research more inclusive, accessible, and effective worldwide. With a focus on scalability and real-time insights, Yazi is poised to become the top data collection tool within chat modalities.

Market Opportunity

WhatsApp Growth: WhatsApp’s user base has grown by 53% in the last four years and is expected to reach

3.2 billion⁠

MAUs by 2025 – 58% of the global internet population. The WhatsApp Business API is anticipated to grow by

5,400%⁠

in enterprise users, with over 55,000 companies projected to spend

$3.6 billion⁠

Research Market Shift: With WhatsApp adoption rising, 20% of the

$84 billion⁠

market research industry is projected to incorporate WhatsApp for data collection within the next four years. Yazi is positioned to lead this transition globally.

Current Traction and Pipeline

Enterprise Validation: Yazi has already attracted attention from major clients like Avon, Old Mutual, and Spar, validating the platform’s ability to deliver deep and valuable insights. We are currently in advanced discussions with Discovery for a significant project focused on public health (NHI), which will further strengthen our position in the market.

Major Deals in Progress:

TymeBank: Yazi is finalising a multi-project deal with TymeBank, the world’s fastest-growing digital bank, which will mark a pivotal win in the financial services space.

Ipsos: Following successful pilots, Ipsos is finalising contracts for 3x 2-year engagements with KFC and MTN, proving the scalability and effectiveness of our solution for enterprise clients.

Global Expansion and Reseller Growth: Yazi operates across the EU, Africa, South America, and Asia, and our upcoming RCS integrations will open the U.S. market. We’ve also secured a reseller agreement with Dynamic Hub, covering Spain, France, and Italy, unlocking an estimated $400k ARR in expansion opportunities.

Building SaaS While Running Services Yazi has achieved a strong MVP while managing both SaaS development and a project-based services operation. This dual approach required prioritising the SaaS platform, which led to a strategic reduction in project revenue but enabled us to build a scalable, high-impact product.

Product Impact

High-Quality, Scalable Insights: Yazi’s AI Interviewer delivers interview-quality data at scale, utilising voice notes, videos, and adaptive questioning in over 60 languages. This results in unprecedented engagement and nuanced data, crucial for understanding diverse markets.

Superior Data Access: Yazi overcomes traditional challenges like network and device limitations by leveraging WhatsApp’s low data usage and familiarity, providing access to harder-to-reach demographics. This ensures high completion rates and broad, representative insights.

Team & Expansion Potential

⁠

Timothy Treagus⁠

, CEO: UCT graduate, CFA Level 1, serial entrepreneur with a successful e-commerce exit. Tim has a strong industry network and experience from working with clients like Harvard, Discovery, and Yoco, which gives him a unique understanding of buyer needs in market research.

⁠

Mzee Sotsaka⁠

, CTO: Maths graduate at University of Johannesburg, former national rower, and senior engineer with seven years of experience building scalable tech solutions. Known for his work on SARS’s USSD chat platform.

Kyle Schoonbee, Tech Lead: South African champion rower with a proven track record in resilience and systems architecture. His skills in designing scalable structures are invaluable to Yazi's development.

Top-Tier Talent Pipeline: Key hires are lined up for post-funding, including Jon-Jon from Ipsos, a commercial lead who turned his department profitable, and Michel, an AI and research expert with 12 years of experience. With a full-time team, Yazi can rapidly accelerate development in analytics and product features, unlocking new value streams.

Macro Trends Supporting Growth

WhatsApp Feature Upgrades: WhatsApp is introducing flows, payments, and enhanced chat functionalities that will elevate Yazi’s data collection capabilities.

Growing Market Demand: Major brands are eager to adopt WhatsApp for research, with many cautious but interested in Yazi’s offering. With additional funding, Yazi anticipates faster conversions and a significant boost in market adoption.

Defensibility and Moat

First-Mover Advantage in WhatsApp Research: Yazi is one of the few platforms globally designed specifically for WhatsApp-based qualitative research, making it the go-to solution for brands looking to leverage this channel.

Data and AI Capabilities: Our platform’s unique ability to capture voice, video, and adaptive responses in real time creates a moat, as this data is challenging to replicate at scale. With each engagement, Yazi builds proprietary data insights that deepen our AI’s adaptability and user experience.

Multi-Platform Flexibility: With tech built around chat modalities, Yazi is primed to integrate with RCS and other messaging channels, including SMS. This flexibility positions us to capitalise on the US market and beyond, creating a scalable and channel-agnostic research solution.

Conclusion

Yazi is not just improving research—it is redefining it. By addressing the limitations of traditional methods and utilising WhatsApp’s unique capabilities, Yazi offers a revolutionary approach that ensures accessibility, engagement, and high-quality insights. With strong early traction, an expanding global presence, and a relentless team, Yazi is poised to capture a significant share of the growing chat-based research market. Investment in Yazi means supporting the next generation of scalable, insightful research for businesses worldwide.

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