Cape Town AI Research Startup Yazi Raises First Institutional Funding

South African AI research platform Yazi has secured its first institutional funding from 3 Capital Ventures at a pre-money valuation of R30 million ($1.6 million). Founded in 2022, Yazi conducts surveys and research through WhatsApp using AI to hold conversations, ask follow-up questions, and analyze responses. The undisclosed investment will fund product development, panel expansion, and international growth. Yazi operates in over 15 countries with 1.8 million pre-qualified participants, counts Old Mutual, Capitec, and Ipsos among its clients, and reported 2.5 times revenue growth last financial year, with over 65% of revenue foreign-denominated.