diff --git a/docs/api.rst b/docs/api.rst
index 1fb1ed651..ecabf2319 100644
--- a/docs/api.rst
+++ b/docs/api.rst
@@ -1237,6 +1237,7 @@ Functions
 .. autocfunction:: serialization.h::ze_serializer_serialize_buf
 .. autocfunction:: serialization.h::ze_serializer_serialize_string
 .. autocfunction:: serialization.h::ze_serializer_serialize_str
+.. autocfunction:: serialization.h::ze_serializer_serialize_substr
 .. autocfunction:: serialization.h::ze_serializer_serialize_sequence_length
 .. autocfunction:: serialization.h::ze_deserialize_int8
 .. autocfunction:: serialization.h::ze_deserialize_int16
@@ -1267,6 +1268,7 @@ Functions
 .. autocfunction:: serialization.h::ze_serialize_buf
 .. autocfunction:: serialization.h::ze_serialize_string
 .. autocfunction:: serialization.h::ze_serialize_str
+.. autocfunction:: serialization.h::ze_serialize_substr
 
 
 Others
diff --git a/include/zenoh-pico/api/serialization.h b/include/zenoh-pico/api/serialization.h
index d6e579557..d8ff0d648 100644
--- a/include/zenoh-pico/api/serialization.h
+++ b/include/zenoh-pico/api/serialization.h
@@ -458,6 +458,7 @@ z_result_t ze_deserializer_deserialize_slice(ze_deserializer_t *deserializer, z_
 
 /**
  * Serializes a null-terminated string and writes it into an underlying :c:type:`z_owned_bytes_t`.
+ * The string should be a valid UTF-8.
  *
  * Parameters:
  *   serializer: A serializer instance.
@@ -468,8 +469,23 @@ z_result_t ze_deserializer_deserialize_slice(ze_deserializer_t *deserializer, z_
  */
 z_result_t ze_serializer_serialize_str(ze_loaned_serializer_t *serializer, const char *val);
 
+/**
+ * Serializes a substring and writes it into an underlying :c:type:`z_owned_bytes_t`.
+ * The substring should be a valid UTF-8.
+ *
+ * Parameters:
+ *   serializer: A serializer instance.
+ *   start: Pointer to the start of the substring to serialize.
+ *   len: Length of the substring to serialize.
+ *
+ * Return:
+ *   ``0`` if serialization is successful, ``negative value`` otherwise.
+ */
+z_result_t ze_serializer_serialize_substr(ze_loaned_serializer_t *serializer, const char *start, size_t len);
+
 /**
  * Serializes a string and writes it into an underlying :c:type:`z_owned_bytes_t`.
+ * The string should be a valid UTF-8.
  *
  * Parameters:
  *   serializer: A serializer instance.
@@ -523,7 +539,7 @@ z_result_t ze_deserializer_deserialize_sequence_length(ze_deserializer_t *deseri
  *
  * Parameters:
  *   bytes: An uninitialized :c:type:`z_owned_bytes_t` to contain the serialized data.
- *   data: Pointer to the data to serialize. Ownership is transferred to the `bytes`.
+ *   data: Pointer to the data to serialize.
  *   len: Number of bytes to serialize.
  *
  * Return:
@@ -534,6 +550,7 @@ z_result_t ze_serialize_buf(z_owned_bytes_t *bytes, const uint8_t *data, size_t
 /**
  * Serializes a string into a :c:type:`z_owned_bytes_t`.
  *
+ * The string should be a valid UTF-8.
  * Parameters:
  *   bytes: An uninitialized :c:type:`z_owned_bytes_t` to contain the serialized string.
  *   s: Pointer to the string to serialize.
@@ -545,16 +562,31 @@ z_result_t ze_serialize_string(z_owned_bytes_t *bytes, const z_loaned_string_t *
 
 /**
  * Serializes a null-terminated string into a :c:type:`z_owned_bytes_t`.
+ * The string should be a valid UTF-8.
  *
  * Parameters:
  *   bytes: An uninitialized :c:type:`z_owned_bytes_t` to contain the serialized string.
- *   value: Pointer to the string to serialize. Ownership is transferred to the `bytes`.
+ *   value: Pointer to the string to serialize.
  *
  * Return:
  *   ``0`` if serialization is successful, ``negative value`` otherwise.
  */
 z_result_t ze_serialize_str(z_owned_bytes_t *bytes, const char *value);
 
+/**
+ * Serializes a substring into a :c:type:`z_owned_bytes_t`.
+ * The substring should be a valid UTF-8.
+ *
+ * Parameters:
+ *   bytes: An uninitialized :c:type:`z_owned_bytes_t` to contain the serialized string.
+ *   start: Pointer to the the start of string to serialize.
+ *   len: Length of the substring to serialize.
+ *
+ * Return:
+ *   ``0`` if serialization is successful, ``negative value`` otherwise.
+ */
+z_result_t ze_serialize_substr(z_owned_bytes_t *bytes, const char *start, size_t len);
+
 /**
  * Serializes a slice into a :c:type:`z_owned_bytes_t`.
  *
diff --git a/src/api/serialization.c b/src/api/serialization.c
index b5ff623d6..c6b018593 100644
--- a/src/api/serialization.c
+++ b/src/api/serialization.c
@@ -84,9 +84,13 @@ z_result_t ze_deserializer_deserialize_slice(ze_deserializer_t *deserializer, z_
     return Z_OK;
 }
 
+z_result_t ze_serializer_serialize_substr(ze_loaned_serializer_t *serializer, const char *start, size_t len) {
+    // TODO: perform a UTF-8 correctness check.
+    return ze_serializer_serialize_buf(serializer, (const uint8_t *)start, len);
+}
+
 z_result_t ze_serializer_serialize_str(ze_loaned_serializer_t *serializer, const char *val) {
-    size_t len = strlen(val);
-    return ze_serializer_serialize_buf(serializer, (const uint8_t *)val, len);
+    return ze_serializer_serialize_substr(serializer, val, strlen(val));
 }
 
 z_result_t ze_serializer_serialize_string(ze_loaned_serializer_t *serializer, const z_loaned_string_t *val) {
@@ -121,6 +125,11 @@ z_result_t ze_deserialize_slice(const z_loaned_bytes_t *bytes, z_owned_slice_t *
     return ze_deserializer_deserialize_slice(&deserializer, data);
 }
 
+z_result_t ze_serialize_substr(z_owned_bytes_t *bytes, const char *start, size_t len) {
+    _Z_BUILD_BYTES_FROM_SERIALIZER(ze_serializer_serialize_substr(&serializer, start, len));
+    return _Z_RES_OK;
+}
+
 z_result_t ze_serialize_str(z_owned_bytes_t *bytes, const char *data) {
     _Z_BUILD_BYTES_FROM_SERIALIZER(ze_serializer_serialize_str(&serializer, data));
     return _Z_RES_OK;