Including Multiverse and Blink: six retail technology funding rounds you need to know about

RTIH rounds up six retail tech ventures who have recently secured significant investments in their businesses, including AI powered workforce development platforms and returns management specialists.

1. Multiverse

Multiverse, an AI powered workforce development platform fronted by Euan Blair (son of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair), has raised $70 million in funding to drive growth across Europe. The round was led by Schroders Capital, with participation from existing investors including General Catalyst, Lightspeed Venture Partners, D1 Capital Partners, Index Ventures, Bond, and StepStone Group. 

This bags the company, whose customers include Just Eat, Addison Lee, and Debenhams Group, a $2.1 billion valuation, a $400 million increase on the last funding round.

"There are companies who desperately need the benefits AI can bring. There are AI companies. What has been missing is the layer that bridges the two," says Blair. "This investment marks the moment Multiverse defines that category, and takes it across Europe. Getting outcomes from AI and unlocking productivity is not just a technology problem. It is a people problem. We exist to solve it."

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves says: “We want Britain to achieve the fastest rate of AI adoption of any country in the G7 - the productivity dividend we can get from AI will grow businesses of all shapes and sizes in the UK and ensure they stay competitive. Multiverse is a fantastic example of a British company helping turn that ambition into reality. This investment will support its expansion across Europe, strengthening a UK firm that is competing globally and equipping people with the skills to make AI work in practice.”

2. Searchable

Searchable has raised £10.3 million ($14 million) at a £62.9 million ($85 million) valuation in a funding round led by venture capital firm Headline (backers of Semrush, Bumble, Farfetch, and Sonos).

Following the company's launch in January, Searchable says it achieved £1.4 million ($2 million) in annual recurring revenue in under 4.5 months and has an annual recurring revenue of £2 million. It plans to accelerate product development across its execution engine and expand its presence in both the US and UK markets.

Dominic R. Wilhelm, Partner at Headline, says: “AI driven discovery is rewriting how customers find products, and the economics are moving fast. As more searches are answered directly by AI, brands that are invisible in this layer of search will simply see less demand. The companies that adapt first will protect and grow market share; those that don’t will lose it quietly.”

“We backed Semrush early as the category leader and exited following its IPO at around a $2 billion market cap. Now, we see a new generation of businesses coming up and Searchable is primed to win this market, which is why we are ecstatic to lead the current round."

Wilhelm adds: “We see Searchable becoming part of the core infrastructure for this shift, not just reporting on what AI engines say about a brand, but directly improving the visibility and revenue outcomes that matter to management teams and boards.”

3. Blink

Blink, an employee experience platform for frontline workforces, has raised $17 million in funding from Enlightened Hospitality Investments (EHI), the growth equity fund affiliated with Danny Meyer’s Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG). And it has also announced a new global partnership with Shake Shack following an integration of its workforce management solutions.

“We are excited to partner with Danny and the EHI team and believe that their commitment to delivering Enlightened Hospitality is more relevant now than ever,” says Sean Nolan, Founder and CEO at Blink. 

“We also are thrilled to launch with Shake Shack, an industry leader who shares our commitment to a strong corporate culture that begins on the restaurant floor. As we embark on this next chapter of growth, we look forward to partnering with forward thinking brands who are empowering their people to win in this competitive market”

Blink will use the funds to invest in its product and engineering teams and drive innovation across its AI powered platform, while also accelerating its go to market strategy to reach more customers across the hospitality industry and beyond.

“I have always believed that Enlightened Hospitality - the ethos that when you take care of your people, your people take care of your customers - is how to create sustaining success in any business," says Danny Meyer. "Blink’s technology puts people first by making sure team members are equipped and supported so they can, in turn, deliver their very best. Its smart technology will help shape the future of restaurants."

4. Inretrn

Viking Growth has invested NOK 100 million in Inretrn, a Sweden-based AI driven returns management platform.

In a LinkedIn post, Viking Growth said: “Returns have become one of the biggest hidden costs in e-commerce. Nearly one in five online orders is returned, and retailers spend an estimated 17% of revenue handling returns. To help solve this challenge, we are investing in Inretrn, a Swedish SaaS company helping retailers automate and optimize complex post-purchase processes.”

It added: “Inretrn’s platform gives retailers an end-to-end solution for returns, exchanges, repairs, and claims handling, helping reduce costs, improve customer experience, and ensure products end up where they create the most value.”

“Handling returns has become one of the most costly challenges in the e-commerce process. Inretrn stands out with strong product depth and expertise, and with a customer base that confirms it is solving a real market need,” added Martin S. Eriksen, Investment Director at Viking Growth.

5. RADAR

RADAR, an AI powered retail intelligence platform, has raised $170 million in Series B funding, co-led by Gideon Strategic Partners and Nimble Partners, and with participation from Align Ventures, bringing the company’s valuation to $1 billion.

It plans to use this round to accelerate deployments across retailers, advance next-generation sensor hardware, expand AI analytics capabilities, accelerate autonomous checkout development, and grow across Canada, EMEA, and Latin America.

“In 2026, operating without real-time intelligence in physical retail means choosing to leave billions of dollars on the table. RADAR is changing that,” says Spencer Hewett, Founder and CEO at RADAR. 

“Today, we’re empowering retailers to run stores with the same precision as e-commerce. This round signals market conviction in the scale of the opportunity and accelerates our ability to extend that advantage across retail and beyond.”

“The physical world has long been a blind spot in an otherwise data driven economy,” Erik Oros, Chief Investment Officer of Gideon Capital. “RADAR is closing that gap. Starting with retail, the company is delivering clear, measurable ROI today while building a proprietary data advantage that strengthens with every deployment. We believe that combination positions RADAR to define the category and become a foundational layer of real-time intelligence across physical industries.”

6. Fresha

Fresha, an AI powered marketplace and business management platform for the beauty and wellness industry, has announced an $80 million investment from funds managed by KKR. The transaction values it at over $1 billion.

Fresha's total capital raised to date now stand at $285 million. It says it will use the cash to accelerate global expansion and fuel product and AI innovation.

Headquartered in London and founded in 2015 by William Zeqiri and Nicholas Miller, Fresha is used by over 130,000 beauty and wellness businesses globally across key verticals including hair, beauty, barbering, nails, aesthetics, wellness, fitness, and spa. The platform facilitates more than 35 million appointments per month and over $15 billion in annual GMV.

Patrick Devine, Partner and member of KKR’s Tech Growth team, says: “Fresha has built a differentiated platform, combining software, financial services, and marketplace capabilities with embedded AI, in a way that is deeply integrated into daily operations of beauty and wellness businesses. We believe the company is well positioned to continue scaling globally as demand grows for modern, vertical-specific technology solutions.”

Marta Szczerba, Director in KKR’s Tech Growth team, adds: “We have followed William and the broader management team over the years, and have been highly impressed with the consistent performance they have been driving at Fresha. The team have been on the front-foot in implementing AI in a way that drives meaningful business outcomes, and we are thrilled to be embarking with them on the next chapter of Fresha’s journey.”