Ukrainian AI startup Zeely won an international startup competition organized by Deel and J.P. Morgan in Paris, securing $1 million in investment from Deel.
The event featured over 50,000 startups from various parts of the world, with 84 companies reaching the final. The Ukrainian startup Zeely took first place, having developed an AI Marketing Intelligence Platform to assist small and medium businesses in scaling their advertising. The jury included representatives from leading global funds, including Andreessen Horowitz and Tencent.
Zeely allows entrepreneurs without technical skills to create and scale advertising using artificial intelligence. The company was founded by Dmytro Samoyliuk, Yaroslav Samoyliuk, and Alina Bondarenko, who had over eight years of experience in digital and performance marketing prior to launching the startup. The platform is used by over 1 million users, with the U.S. remaining the primary market. Currently, Zeely employs over 170 specialists, and the company’s growth rates exceed six times year-over-year.
In spring 2023, Zeely had already received $1 million in seed investments from several Ukrainian funds, such as Vesna.Capital, ZAS Ventures, as well as Belarusian Imaguru Ventures and business angels. This success highlights the high potential of artificial intelligence in marketing and demonstrates the significant position of Ukrainian startups on the global stage.
| Fund | Country | Investment |
|---|---|---|
| Vesna.Capital | Ukraine | $1 million |
| ZAS Ventures | Ukraine | Included in the total amount |
| Imaguru Ventures | Belarus | Included in the total amount |
| Deel | USA | $1 million |
