EVs firm Cariqa, founded by ex-GoCardless and Virtuo employees, launches retail platform
Cariqa, a payments, pricing and billing platform built for electric vehicle (EV) charging, has announced the launch of Retail Rewards, a new feature that, it says, enables charge point operators (CPOs) and retailers to collaborate without integrations, hardware, or operational complexity.
Having completed its beta phase, this connects charging sessions in real-time with in-store shopping.
Drivers who charge at participating locations can shop at a partner retailer, scan their receipt in the Cariqa app, and instantly receive a discount on their charging session once the spend is verified. The entire process is automated by the Cariqa platform, which checks receipt data and applies the reward instantaneously. The system requires no PoS integration, no ERP integration, no staff training and no additional hardware.
“Charge point operators and retailers have been talking about collaboration for years, but it has remained too complex to execute,” says Issam Tidjani, CEO and Co-founder at Cariqa, which raised a €4 million seed round in July and was founded by ex-GoCardless and Virtuo employees.
.“With Retail Rewards, we’re making that connection real - in a way that is instant, measurable and effortless to activate. Charging shouldn’t just move vehicles; it should move value across the entire ecosystem.”
“Retail Rewards shows what becomes possible when you fix the underlying infrastructure first,” says Tamara Ciullo, CCO and Co-founder. “We’re not adding another layer of complexity. We’re enabling the ecosystem to work together intelligently - giving CPOs control, retailers visibility, and drivers an instant benefit for choosing to charge and shop.”
Cariqa is now onboarding CPOs and national retailers in Germany for the launch phase, with the first locations going live imminently. Pilot partners will help shape programme parameters – such as spend thresholds, reward levels and promotional formats - ahead of broader roll-out across Europe.
2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS
Green retail was a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.
We received a record number of entries and many fantastic examples of the continued resilience and dynamism of the retail space during hugely challenging times.
For a full rundown of all of the shortlisted entries, click here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC in Central London on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
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