Football firsts, shopper types and online issues: RTIH presents the retail technology week in numbers
Do you like numbers? Do you like retail systems news? Then this is the article for you. Including Jisp, Worldpay, Ocado Group, Getir, NearSt, Sparqle, PawCo, Aldi, InPost, Wembley Stadium and Delaware North.
22…Aldi is trialling the use of parcel lockers outside a selection of its UK stores, including Glasgow, Liverpool, Colchester, Portsmouth, Gravesend, Bournemouth, Cardiff, Preston, Nuneaton, and Bristol.
Customers will be able to collect and return online orders from other retailers at select Aldi stores, thanks to the retailer’s new partnership with InPost.
Throughout March, InPost lockers will be available outside 22 Aldi stores across the country.
The trial will conclude after a 12-week period, with the aim to roll it out to more stores if successful.
$2 million…PawCo Foods, an AI powered, plant-based dog food brand, has announced a $2 million seed funding round led by Elevate Ventures, as well as other angel investors such as Arash Ferdowsi, co-founder of Dropbox.
It says it will use the cash to scale its operations by opening a second production facility (a midwest location to complement its current facility in California).
And it will also further invest in growth, research and development, new recipes and marketing tactics to drive awareness for the plant-based pet food category.
"The widespread adoption of plant-based foods has changed how we approach nutrition; however, there has been less innovation in this category when it comes to pet food,” says Christopher Day, CEO at Elevate Ventures.
1%…“Only 1% of products in physical retail are visible online,” claimed Nick Brackenbury, NearSt CEO, in a keynote speech on the opening day of the Smart Retail Tech 2024 expo on 27th February at ExCel in London.
His startup, founded in 2015, exists to help clients get better listings on Google, Meta and socials when they type ‘near me’ searches for a lightbulb, fashion item, or indeed any product.
“The last ten years have seen massive investment in online retail. Fantastic,” said Brackenbury. “But the next ten years’ investment needs to go into servicing the local customer much better.”
£900,000…Jisp says that Scan & Save retailers are thriving despite the UK slipping into a technical recession following a 0.3% drop in GDP in the last quarter of 2023.
The AR solution reads product barcodes and presents exclusive promotions, which customers can then save and redeem with their mobile phones.
"As a convenience store owner, partnering with Jisp has been a game-changer for my business,” says Harmeet Singh, Nisa Local Convent Road, Ashford.
“The discounts they provide not only attract more customers but have significantly boosted my turnover by nearly 20%. Their commitment to supporting small businesses is truly commendable."
According to Jisp, retailers have seen returns of £900,000 in the year so far through Scan & Save, with the app encouraging repeat visits to stores through discounts that are available everyday of a promotional period.
6…The six new shopper types detailed in Worldpay’s global research report entitled Future Shoppers were shared by Mia Vigar, Retail Insights Lead at the acquirer, on the second day of Smart Retail Tech (28th February) at London ExCel, alongside the most relevant tech and tips to target them.
From big spenders to bargain hunters, customers are driven by different needs and wants. Identifying and serving them, with the support of appropriate technology and data analytics, is crucial for 21st century retail success.
£1 million…Gateway Centre Oldham has received a new ultra-rapid EV charging hub, in a £1 million deal with Manchester-based Be.EV.
Switched on and ready for use, the site is home to 16 ultra-rapid charging bays, making it one of the largest ultra-rapid EV charging locations in Greater Manchester.
The Gateway Centre shoppers will benefit from a charging experience while browsing the shops that are within a one minute walk, including Aldi and B&M Home Stores. Drivers can also monitor their charge level from their mobile whilst doing their shopping through a QR code.
£3.6 million…Mondra, a product footprinting and supply chain decarbonisation AI driven SaaS platform, has raised £3.6 million in pre-Series A funding.
Investors include 7 Generation Ventures, AlbionVC, GC Foodtech Ventures, Foodsparks by Peakbridge, Ponderosa Ventures, and Vala Capital.
£2.8 million…ESProfiler, a British cybersecurity startup, has announced a £2.8 million seed round, led by Nauta Capital.
This builds on angel investments received in 2023. The company says it is on a mission to tackle the widespread inefficiencies in enterprise cybersecurity investments.
The founding team, leveraging their first hand experience, identified critical gaps in how cybersecurity tools were being utilised. These tools often overlapped, were underutilised, and misaligned with the actual methods of adversaries and continued a frustrating cycle of inefficient security tooling churn.
$10 million…Education platform, Interview Kickstart, which is used by engineers to level up and secure careers in technology companies, has raised a $10 million funding round from Blume Ventures, the firm’s largest opening investment to date.
Interview Kickstart says that it has been profitable for several years, having trained over 20,000 professionals through its programmes spanning AI, machine learning, data science, engineering, and product management.
Graduates have landed top jobs at companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, Netflix, AirBnB, Uber, Apple, Lyft and LinkedIn.
The funding will be used to establish Interview its position as the largest player in the US market and help it expand its platform globally. It has seen its customers get job offers over $250,000, with the highest compensation received being over $1.2 million.
£30,000…Getir, a Turkish company that operates in the ultrafast grocery delivery space, has donated £30,000 to London's Community Kitchen (LCK) thanks to its partnership with Nisa.
Funds were raised from sales of Co-op products sold through the Getir app.
Marking the donation, the latter showcased its support for local communities on Friday 23rd February at the Hilton London Wembley – unveiling a flagship transport asset purchased by LCK following the donation to the local London charity.
1…Laying claim to being the first European national stadium to use frictionless technology, Wembley Stadium and Delaware North introduced Bar Tap at the Carabao Cup final this past weekend.
The Delaware North team oversaw the project from conception to implementation, with the aim of promising a seamless experience for shoppers.
Upon entry, customers tap their cards, grab their items, and exit without any waiting time.
In a LinkedIn post, Delaware North said: “The adaptability of this innovative retail concept allows us to seamlessly tailor offerings to suit the specific type of event, ensuring a personalised experience for all our customers.”
“These improvements, alongside other stadium wide enhancements, solidify Wembley Stadium's reputation as a globally acclaimed fan first venue.”
€1.2 million…Sparqle, a sustainable delivery solutions startups, has announced the completion of a €1.2 million investment round.
The funding was led by a group of business angels including the former Managing Director of Deliveroo EU, former CTO of Just Eat Takeaway, and Bloomon founder, alongside Graduate Entrepreneur Fund.
The infusion of capital will be used to accelerate the development of Sparqle's technology platform, expand its sustainable delivery network, and fast track its expansion into additional European countries.
The company’s platform offers an integration between retailers, e-commerce brands, and sustainable delivery methods.
Through its proprietary software, rider app, and fleet of e-cargo bikes and electric vehicles, Sparqle aims to optimise delivery routes for maximum efficiency and minimal environmental impact.
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