Cape Town and San Francisco-based big data startup, Zenysis Technologies, has secured a $13.3 million Series B round led by the Steele Foundation for Hope (SFFH). Venture capital investor Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley venture capital firm 500 Startups also participated in the round.
The startup will deploy the funds toward building partnerships with governments and local institutions in Africa, Asia and South America. Zenysis will also partner with governments to manage complex linkages between climate change and human health and scale up its involvement in emergency response.
Zenysis’ data integration and advanced analytics platform enables decision-makers to mine vast stores of siloed information for insights they can use to improve public health and respond to humanitarian emergencies. Governments in nine low- and middle-income countries across three continents use Zenysis’ software to fight infectious disease outbreaks, increase childhood vaccination rates and deliver a wide range of health programs in a data-driven way.
Founded in late 2021, SFFH aims to be a lead investor in startups that employ innovative technologies to improve the lives of people in places overlooked by conventional venture capital. At the request of SFFH, the terms of Zenysis’ financing did not include a board seat. The foundation set an impressive pace with its first investment by completing the financing within 21 days of signing its term sheet with Zenysis.
“We are excited about our partnership with the Steele Foundation for Hope, which shares our values and has backed our mission with conviction,” said Jonathan Stambolis, co-founder and CEO, Zenysis. “This investment will allow us to triple our global footprint over the next two years and invest in the innovations and partnerships that will improve public health outcomes around the world, especially in low- and middle-income countries,” he added.
“We structure our program-related investments to provide capital quickly, without unnecessary interference or onerous reporting requirements,” said Joe Exner, Chief Executive Officer, Steele Foundation for Hope. “Our program-related investment will enable Zenysis to focus on its core mission of developing the innovative capabilities needed to strengthen health systems and prevent future pandemics,” he added.
