AI powered in-store insights specialist Ethosphere bags $2.5 million in pre-seed funding

Ethosphere, a specialist in voice AI for retail operations, has raised $2.5 million in pre-seed funding, led by Point72 Ventures, with participation from AI2 Incubator, Carya Ventures, Pack VC, Hike Ventures, and J4 Ventures.

It will use the cash to scale up programme pilots with retail brands.

Ethosphere enables retailers to convert in-store interaction data directly into aggregated coaching insights for frontline associates, providing actionable guidance through the use of LLMs and voice AI technology.

“AI is bringing change to every industry, and retail is no exception, but there is a significant gap in how the technology can be applied in a useful, human focused manner,” says Evan Smith, Co-founder and CEO at Ethosphere.

“Ethosphere wants to bridge that gap by empowering retailers to invest in their people, recognizing that a well supported and knowledgeable team is the key to building exceptional customer experiences. This human centric approach not only enhances bricks and mortar purchasing but also directly impacts a company’s bottom line by fostering loyalty and driving sales. We’re partnering with major brands to achieve this goal.”

“In an increasingly busy landscape flooded with theoretical AI, Ethosphere stood out to us with a practical, powerful application that we believe has the potential to directly impact the sales and customer experience,” says Sri Chandrasekar, Managing Partner at of Point72 Ventures.

“We see their focus on augmenting, not replacing, human interaction as a critical differentiator, making their solution a deeply compelling answer in the evolution of retail.”

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

AI will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards. which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.