UK- based startup Zephr, a technology platform for media companies to grow their subscription revenue, raised US$ 8M on 5 December 2020.
The funding round was led by US-based Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (owned by media giant Bertelsmann). Other participants in the financing round included Silicon Valley Bank UK Branch, previous investors Knight Capital and Nauta Capital, bringing Zephr’s total funding to US$ 11 million.
The funds raised will be utilized to invest in product development with the focus on delivering technology that brings hyper-personal digital journeys. The investment will go into bolstering the team and expanding into different markets in the US, Europe and Asia.
About Zephr
Founded in 2017 by James Henderson, Zephr (formerly known as Blaize) helps leading media businesses and brands grow the subscription economy. Its identity, access management and customer experience platform make the swift deployment of personalized trial, sell and upsell journeys easy. With the help of Zephr’s dynamic paywall technology, non-technical teams can design, test and deploy new reader registration, trial, subscription and retention journeys instantly using intuitive, code-free drag-and-drop tools. Headquartered in London, Zephr has many international clients as well including News Corporation, McClatchy, News Corp Australia and Dennis Publishing.
As a result of the pandemic, media firms are increasingly looking to monetize their online audiences and drive revenue through growing their digital subscriber base. This is where Zephr comes in to help. Zephr claims that it has helped clients see a 150% increase in conversion and well over 25% increase in subscription revenues in less than six months.
Zephr gives each reader an exclusively tailored content experience, based on their unique characteristics such as location, interests, device and engagement. It helps publishers to build stronger engagement with their audience. Zephr doesn’t require any coding expertise, which is what sets it apart.
Over the last 12 months, the startup has doubled its team, opened its first office in the US in New York City and expanded its customer base across Asia as well as Eastern and Central Europe.
James Henderson, CEO at Zephr, said, “We want to create a world where every subscription product is tailored to each individual customer; where everyone gets exactly what they want, at the right price, at the right time. It’s this laser-focus on the personal journey that sets us apart from anyone else – and is what has enabled our clients to gain customers for life.
“We’re thrilled to have backing from BDMI, along with our other investors. This Series A funding allows us to invest in further product development, continue to build a world-class team and further expand.”
What Investors have to say
“The recent weakness in the advertising market increased pressure for media companies to diversify revenue streams and aim to introduce or optimise subscription models. We recognise Zephr’s excellent technology that empowers publishers to galvanise the online subscription opportunity and create customer journeys that are truly unique. We are impressed with Zephr’s traction in the media and publishing sector and look forward to supporting the business as it moves into 2021, said Urs Cete, Managing Director at BDMI.
“We are excited to back James and the team and support them on their journey. Zephr delivers tremendous value to its customers in the Media domain and we believe that the product will be a critical infrastructure element to the maturing subscription economy. As marketing software has personalized communication, we believe that Zephr will personalize the product offering and enable companies to optimize their revenue streams,” said Arthur Nobel, Principal at Knight Capital.
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