Jana Raises $57 Million in Series C funding To Expand Globally

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Jana’s mission is to provide free, unrestricted internet access to users in emerging markets – aiming to reach the next billion people. With Jana’s mCent Android app, users can download, try and engage with apps and in return gain free data to be used anywhere on the internet. The company recently raised $57 Million in Series C funding led by Verizon Ventures.

Below is our interview with Nathan Eagle, Co-founder and CEO of Jana:

Q: Over 30 million users have benefited from Jana’s free internet access, tell us something more about the company and your services?

A: The idea for Jana was born out of my experience as a Fulbright professor in Kenya. My students and I developed a system for rural nurses to text centralized blood banks when supplies were low, but the system’s success was hindered by the cost of data — the expense prevented nurses from sending the SMS. When the system was upgraded to automatically reimburse them for data used, the nurses enthusiastically returned to the system. Jana was born out of this insight that smartphones can be used not only for global communication, but can also be powered by data sponsorship.

Fast forward to today, Jana’s mission is to provide free, unrestricted internet access to users in emerging markets – aiming to reach the next billion people. Today, internet connectivity in emerging markets is much more an issue of affordability, rather than access. More and more people have access to affordable smartphones – in fact, 1.3 billion people in emerging markets now have Android phones, and that number expects to grow to over 3 billion people by 2020. It’s the cost of data that is prohibitive. The vast majority of the world’s smartphone users can’t afford internet – half of smartphone users in emerging markets don’t have a data plan at all because of high costs.

We’re helping users in these emerging markets get online, and stay online, by shifting the cost of data to brands via sponsored content. With mCent, users can download, try and engage with apps and in return gain free data to be used anywhere on the internet.

Q: You’ve recently announced $57 Million in Series C funding, what are your plans?

A: The funding, lead by Verizon Ventures, will help us focus on expanding mCent into additional markets, with an emphasis on China in 2016, and further our mission of making the internet free for the next billion. Additionally, we’ll use the money to grow our team, both in sales and engineering, and expand our footprint with sales offices in our major markets.

Q: Could you explain what is mCent and how does it work?

A: Jana’s mCent Android app unlocks free data in exchange for brand engagement, allowing users to earn free data that can be used anywhere on the internet–to use another app like WeChat, to do a Google search or to watch a YouTube video, for example. When users open the app they are presented with sponsored content–specifically mobile apps–that they can engage with and use. We’re shifting the cost of data to brands, letting users download, try and engage with apps and in return gain free data to be used anywhere they’d like, no restrictions. Today we have more than 30 million users on mCent, and we’re available in more than 90 countries.

Q: What are main benefits for brands?

A: The sponsored data model is a win-win proposition for everyone involved. Brands are able to increase their footprint in emerging markets and gain access and engagement with people in some of the fastest growing countries and economies in the world. We’ve found that users are more likely to interact and stay engaged with a free app they receive through sponsored data than traditional mobile advertising because there isn’t any risk in trying it. We work together with our brand partners to build campaigns that far outpace the ROI of traditional mobile advertising in emerging markets.

Outside of our brand partners, the mobile operators we work with win as well by gaining another stream of revenue through users and advertisers, increasing their ARPU (average revenue per user) from users accessing the internet more. But most importantly, the users win with free, unrestricted access to the internet. When users in emerging markets are given this access, great things can happen – GDP in these markets goes up, income inequality decreases, and internet access provides opportunities for users to to advance themselves, their families, and the world.

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