Veloq and GetVocal among RTIH AI in Retail Awards Innovative Startup finalists

We’re pleased to announce the shortlist for the RTIH AI in Retail Awards Startup of the Year category.

This award will recognise the startup with the most innovative AI technology offering and the company which is best placed to succeed in the long-term (management, funding, the retailers it is working with etc).

Congratulations to all those who made it through the initial submission process. We received a huge number of impressive entries highlighting companies who not only recognise the potential of AI, but also make it usable in everyday work - resulting in more efficiency and innovation in all areas.

It’s now over to our judging panel who will decide the winners to be announced at the RTIH AI in Retail Awards Ceremony, taking place  at The Barbican in Central London on Thursday, 29th January.

This will kick off with a drinks reception in the stunning Conservatory, followed by a three course meal, and awards ceremony in the Garden Room, presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Lucy Porter.

To book your place at the RTIH AI in Retail Awards Ceremony, click here.

Our runners and riders:

AiDA Intelligent Solutions

AiDA Intelligent Solutions is a fast growing startup using AI to help retailers fix messy product data. It scans thousands of product pages to spot issues like missing details, duplicate images or greenwashing claims - then help teams fix them fast.

Its tools also compare retailers to their biggest competitors, showing where they can do better. Brands like Kingfisher and The Very Group already use AiDA to boost trust and sales online. Whether you sell sofas or skincare, it makes sure your product pages are clear, accurate and ready to convert - without the usual guesswork or manual effort.

Dema

Commerce moves fast - but when data lives in silos, brands fall behind. Dema, a next-generation analytics platform founded in Stockholm, brings clarity by unifying marketing, sales, inventory, and customer data into one real-time platform.

Built by former operators, it connects ad platforms, storefronts, and ERPs to highlight what’s driving ROAS, where budgets are being wasted, and when stockouts are around the corner. Instead of dense spreadsheets, teams get clear dashboards, predictive models, and practical next steps.

Founded in 2022, Dema has equipped brands with enterprise grade analytics that are fast, actionable, and easy to use - helping them move quicker, act with confidence, and compete at the highest level.

FoundIt!

FoundIt! is an AI startup redefining how enterprise retailers manage large, complex catalogues.

In 12 months, it has scaled from a pilot with Kingfisher/B&Q to becoming a strategic partner across multiple banners, including B&Q, TradePoint, and Brico Dépô, driving a 72% uplift in conversion and 112% revenue per user.

Now trusted by leading retailers like John Lewis, Michael Kors, M&S, and Saks Global, its proprietary intent led commerce platform proves AI delivers real commercial value. Rapid to deploy and built to scale, FoundIt! turns overwhelming product choice into seamless discovery, replacing static catalogue structures with dynamic experiences tailored to customer intent.

GetVocal

GetVocal is a conversational AI platform built for hybrid human AI workforces.

Founded in 2023 by AI entrepreneurs Roy Moussa and Antonin Bertin, and enterprise sales leader Sebastião Zaragoza, GetVocal’s mission is to create trustworthy AI agents that accelerate the customer experience market’s transition from “humans assisted by AI” to “AI powered by humans.”

Retailers rely on the company to build, govern and optimise hybrid agent fleets, monitoring customer support conversations in real-time and safely shifting to AI as automation skills evolve.

Lumoo Studio

Lumoo Studio is redefining the future of fashion, sport, and retail through AI driven innovation. Its platform combines advanced technologies, like virtual try-on, AI models, and automated content creation, to deliver personalised, scalable, and brand-specific experiences.

In 2025, it helped global retailers reduce costs, speed up workflows, and boost engagement.

Pagent

Pagent.ai is an innovative AI agent revolutionising e-commerce personalisation through "Emotional AI," automating hyper-personalised web experiences to boost conversions.

Founded in 2024, it has secured $900K in pre-seed funding from HTGF and partnered with retailers like Pixum to deliver self-improving variants. Its technology automates 90% of workflows, yielding 3x faster results and uplifts like +16% in conversion rates.

By addressing manual optimisation challenges, it enables scalable growth, seamless integrations, and GDPR compliance. Backed by a team of serial founders, Pagent.ai is poised for long-term success in retail AI, driving measurable business impact.

Profound

Profound is quickly becoming one of the most important tools in modern commerce. As AI search reshapes how people discover products, it gives brands and retailers the visibility they’ve completely lost in the shift from SEO to AEO.

PropTexx

PropTexx Retail developed a next-generation AI virtual placement and visualisation engine that transforms how retailers showcase products online.

By combining scene understanding models with generative rendering, the system accurately inserts furniture and décor into real environments, eliminating the need for expensive photoshoots while boosting customer confidence and conversion.

The platform handles cluttered rooms, varied lighting, and mixed camera angles, producing photorealistic, shoppable imagery at scale. Retail partners report major improvements in engagement and reduced return rates. This initiative sets a new benchmark for intelligent visual merchandising and demonstrates how AI can reshape product discovery across modern commerce.

Reckon.ai

Reckon.ai is a PE backed scale-up from Porto, Portugal. It offers smart coolers and fridges using AI powered software to detect purchases with input from weight sensors and cameras.

AI is furthermore used to train the machine very quickly (minutes) on new products which saves the operator lots of time versus traditional ways. Via an intuitive back-end management tool, Reckon´s customers can manage their devices remotely both technically as well as commercially and gather valuable insights regarding shopper behaviour.

Veloq

Veloq is an AI native grocery fulfillment platform redefining how grocers deliver speed, scale, and sustainability.

Spun out from Rohlik Group - a European online grocer - Veloq transforms fragmented operations into a single intelligent system. Its AI engine powers inventory forecasting, automated picking, labour management, and real-time last mile routing.

Already proven across five European markets, it enables 99.9% pick accuracy, <0.5% food waste, and NPS scores above 90. Backed by a seasoned team and €1.1 billion in operational validation, Veloq is built not just to compete, but to lead the AI driven transformation of online grocery worldwide.