Sazo Raises $20M in Series A and Credit Financing to Build Agentic Cross-Border Commerce Infrastructure

Sazo, an AI-powered cross-border commerce startup, has raised $10.3M (KRW15.2 billion) in a Series A round, along with additional credit-based financing from major Japanese financial institutions, bringing this round’s total funding to $20.0M (KRW 29.5 billion). The round lifts Sazo’s cumulative funding to date to $14.7M (KRW 21.7 billion).

Japan Post Capital and Suzuyo & Co once again led the round, having also led Sazo’s pre-Series A financing, underscoring their continued confidence in the startup’s growth. Naver D2SF, Japanese venture capital firm PARTNERS FUND, and D4V (Design for Ventures) also joined the round as investors. Sazo secured its credit-based financing from Japan’s three so-called megabanks, including Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and Mizuho Bank, demonstrating the company’s business stability and financial health.

Sazo runs an AI-powered commerce platform that lets consumers buy and sell products across borders as easily as shopping domestically. The company’s commerce AI automatically calculates additional shipping costs, including customs fees, tariffs, and delivery charges, based on a product’s type, specifications, and other details. Korean consumers can currently use Sazo to purchase products from Mercari, Rakuten, and Rakuma. For items listed on shopping sites that aren’t directly integrated with the platform, users can simply enter the page URL, and Sazo translates and localizes the product details and purchase options while handling the buying process on the customer’s behalf.

To streamline the shopping experience, Sazo has automated the parts of cross-border buying and selling that typically require specialized expertise. These include translating and localizing product information, calculating additional costs such as tariffs, value-added tax, and shipping fees, generating HS codes — the international classification system for traded goods — and preparing customs documentation.

With the new capital, Sazo plans to build out its “agentic commerce” infrastructure, deepening its R&D efforts while accelerating global expansion and talent acquisition. The company currently operates in Korea, the United States, and Japan, and aims to expand into additional markets to become a leading player in the global cross-border agentic commerce space.

Sazo is currently recruiting partners in Korea for its reverse cross-border business, which allows domestic sellers to expand into the Japanese market while Sazo handles payment and logistics. The company expects to add more countries to the program as its global service continues to expand.

Tsuguhiro Nagata, director at Japan Post Capital, who led the investment, said, “Since our pre-Series A investment last year, Sazo has grown steadily as an AI-driven cross-border commerce platform. We will actively support Sazo’s growth and enterprise value by leveraging Japan Post Group’s extensive network and business assets to help realize its vision for global cross-border infrastructure.”

Maro Gil, CEO of Sazo, said, “Our global service has grown rapidly, with monthly gross merchandise value increasing roughly sevenfold over the past six months. Building on this investment, we plan to hire talent across development, service operations, and other areas, and accelerate our efforts to build a cross-border ecosystem that connects consumers and businesses worldwide.”