Columbia-based Zentail raises $5M, plans hiring

Columbia-based ecommerce automation startup Zentail raised $5 million in new funding, and is planning to hire for positions across the startup, said CEO Daniel Sugarman.
The Series A round was led by Initialized Capital, the San Francisco–based venture capital firm created by Reddit cofounder (and Columbia native) Alexis Ohanian and Garry Tan. FundersClub also participated. Both firms are existing investors in the startup, which made Technical.ly’s realLIST 2018, Columbia edition.

Look, Mom! We’re making it happen! Zentail is living the ecommerce startup dream and is thrilled to announce receiving $5M in #funding. @Initialized @FundersClub https://t.co/S0wYHzuX6Y #startup #hardworkpaysoff #createsomethinggreat #ecommerce pic.twitter.com/f6ymLzT2pI

— Zentail (@zentailcommerce) October 29, 2018

Founded by Y Combinator alums Sugarman and Daniel Sperling-Horowitz, Zentail’s technology is likened to an operating system for ecommerce. Sugarman said it helps companies sell across the many ecommerce channels like Amazon, Jet, eBay and others. When merchants reach a point where they are selling across those different channels, they need a place to manage data in one place. Some of the features offered by the company include a central map of product categories from across channels, a repricing tool to maximize sales for the larger sites, a recommendation to replenish inventory and analytics.
While the merchants using the product range in size, Sugarman said it is most beneficial for those who make at least $1 million and have gotten to the point where they can sell across those many channels. With the funding, Sugarman said the startup is looking to move “up market” with increased sales efforts, as well as adding new features.
After completing more integrations with retailers last quarter, Sugarman said the company is looking to be more “proactive” about opportunities.
“What we’re trying to do with this funding really is to staff up and get our product into more people’s hands,” he said.
Initialized Capital general partner Eric Woersching, who is joining the company’s board, said the startup’s product stood out for offering an intuitive experience, and also said the investment represented belief in the team’s ability to succeed.
“Their expertise and passion are sure to make a difference for their customers in the product they create,’ Woersching said in a statement. “With this funding, to drive Zentail’s development and sales efforts further, they’ll easily become the preferred platform for online sellers in the near future.”
The team has already been growing this year, adding leadership including Paul Capriolo as director of growth and Pauline Shiu as director of marketing.
Sugarman said the company plans to continue adding to the team of 25, with hiring across the organization in roles including engineering, sales and marketing. Eight roles are currently open, according to its website.