Spider-Man spins a buoyant bricks and mortar web: presenting the retail technology week in numbers
Do you like numbers? Do you like retail technology news? Then this is the article for you. Including eComID, Gatik, Landsec, Mulberry, GoWish, California Pizza Kitchen, Walmart, Levanta, Everseen, Hanshow, Vusion, Sitoo, Simbe, and first ever Retail Technology Hot 100 List.
$17 million...Swedish startup eComID has announced a $17 million seed round led by Systemiq Capital, with participation from Regeneration.VC, Course Corrected, Stadium and returning investor CapitalT. The funding will go towards international expansion, product and team development.
eComID’s Shopping Passport lets shoppers carry relevant context across connected brands, helping each store understand them from the first visit. Vera, the company’s AI shopping agent, combines that context to power sizing intelligence, smart conversational search and personalised product discovery directly on brands' own sites.
Launched in 2024, eComID now works with more than 60 brands and reaches 20 million shoppers every month. Partners include COS, J.Lindeberg, Axel Arigato, NN07, Peak Performance, Haglöfs, Asket and Stadium. eComID was also named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies of 2025.
"AI without context still starts from zero," says Oscar Rundqvist, Co-founder and CEO at eComID. "The best shopping experience should feel like walking into a store that already knows how to help. We're building the missing layer between shoppers, brands and AI to make that possible. We've reached this point through the strength of the product and the trust of our partners. This round lets us move faster, enter new markets and build the infrastructure we believe the next era of commerce will run on."
100...In partnership with 3D Cloud, RTIH is pleased to launch its first ever Retail Technology Hot 100 List. We’re bringing you the hottest companies whose solutions and systems are helping drive the retail sector forward.
These companies operate across the omnichannel retail landscape (stores, online, mobile, supply chain, payments etc).
Our judging panel, including Vineta Bajaj, Group CFO, Holland & Barrett, Dan McGrath, JD Group Customer Operations, JD Sports, Dr. Astha Purohit, Director of Product Management, Customer Data and Identity, Walmart, and Paula Bobbett, Chief Data and Digital Officer, Boots, provided feedback on those who have the most innovative, forward thinking technology offerings and are also best addressing retailers' current challenges, painpoints, and opportunities.
The judges used the following framework when making their picks:
1. Retailer problem fit - how meaningful, strategic, and widely felt the retailer pain being addressed is.
2. Production traction in retail (2025–2026) - real named retailer deployments, pilots.
3. Innovation and defensibility - genuine technical novelty paired with a defensible competitive position.
And there was also a public vote, with thousands of members of our community of retail tech enthusiasts getting involved. Thanks to all those who took part! Based on the judging panel's feedback and the public vote, we then drew up our first ever RTIH Retail Technology Hot 100.
So, without further ado, here are the 100 hottest global retail technology ventures right now. Drum roll, please…
979...Landsec has secured Mulberry at Liverpool ONE. Opening in November, the retailer’s new 979 sq ft store will occupy a prominent position in Keys Court on Peter’s Lane.
It says that the signing reinforces Peter’s Lane’s growing appeal as a premium fashion and lifestyle destination, building on recent leasing momentum with brands including ARNE, Monica Vinader and Salomon’s first full price UK store outside London. It also aligns with Mulberry's ‘Back to the Mulberry Spirit’ strategy, which places renewed emphasis on investing in its core UK market, strengthening customer connection and focusing on the locations best placed to support long-term growth.
Pablo Sueiras, Head of Retail and Hospitality Leasing at Landsec, says: “Mulberry’s decision to open in Liverpool ONE reflects the opportunity presented by Peter’s Lane as it continues to establish itself as a premium retail destination. As the brand sharpens its focus on its core UK market, Liverpool ONE offers the right combination of brand performance and spend potential to support its long-term ambitions.”
73.5%...Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which was released in the UK at the end of July, drove an immediate and sustained uplift in footfall at GRID Braehead in Scotland, which combines experiential activities, dining, cinema and family entertainment. On the film's opening day (Wednesday, 29th July), GRID recorded a +73.5% increase in footfall YOY, replicating similar visitor patterns to a Saturday at the destination.
It also reports positive daily year-on-year footfall uplift through to Monday, 10th August, with the period delivering a +28% increase compared with the same period last year. Many of GRID’s F&B, leisure and retail offerings benefited from the increased footfall as a direct result from the new film release.
According to GRID, these figures underline the important role that entertainment, leisure and shared cultural moments play in driving traffic to retail destinations. For landlords and occupiers, major releases can create a halo effect extending beyond the cinema itself, bringing significantly larger audiences into destinations and creating opportunities for retail, F&B and other leisure operators to benefit from increased dwell time and cross-visitation.
€13.4 million...Social shopping platform and wishlist app GoWish, known as Ønskeskyen in its native Denmark, has secured a capital injection of €13.4 million from various new investors, including Weco owner Johan Wedell-Wedellsborgand and former EQT partner Mads Ditlevsen. The investment values GoWish in excess of $200 million and will be used to accelerate the company’s international growth, with a particular focus on the US, where GoWish has more than nine million registered users.
"We have proven that GoWish can grow far beyond Denmark, and the United States is our largest market today. We are also proud to have some of Denmark's most experienced investors behind our ambition: to build a Danish born company into a global leader in social shopping. This new capital will be used to invest even more aggressively in our international growth, particularly in the US, a key priority on our own wishlist,” says Mads Dahlerup, CEO and Co-founder at GoWish.
100...Walmart has opened its 100th company (across 20 states) owned electric vehicle fast charging site Supercenter in Monument, Colorado.
These are positioned near store entrances, and customers can manage charging sessions through the Walmart mobile app. Walmart+ members receive discounted charging rates. The US retail giant plans to add additional payment options as the network expands.
“By expanding EV fast charging at Walmart locations across the country, we’re giving drivers a dependable way to charge while they’re in the store,” says Shayne Wahlmeier, Senior Vice President at Walmart Energy. “Reaching 100 sites is an important milestone, and our broad footprint positions us to make EV charging more accessible for communities while expanding the ways we serve our customers.”
Most locations feature 8 to 16 fast-charging stalls, with chargers capable of delivering up to 400 kW of power. With both CCS and NACS connectors, the network is compatible with most EVs on the road today.
$200 million...Gatik has announced $200 million in financing as it records increading demand for driverless commercial freight across Fortune 50 retail, grocery and CPG supply chains. The Series D round was led by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Koch Disruptive Technologies (KDT), with participation from Millennium Management, ARK Invest, Intact Private Capital and others.
The capital will be used to expand Gatik's commercial operations and fleet, while it continues to invest in technology, infrastructure and its workforce. It moves freight between distribution centres and stores across Texas, Arizona and Arkansas in the US and in Canada and is targeting more than 100 driverless trucks by the end of 2026.
“This round, led by some of the world’s leading financial institutions, is a clear validation of our commercial leadership in autonomous freight,” says Gautam Narang, CEO and Co-founder at Gatik. “We have built Gatik with real revenue, deep customer demand, and AI driven autonomous technology proven every day in live supply chains. This round gives us the capital to scale with speed and discipline, serve the world’s largest companies, and define the future of autonomous freight.”
“Autonomous freight is transforming the global logistics industry, making it more efficient and reliable,” says Abdulla Al-Kuwari, Head of Industrials at QIA. “QIA is committed to supporting next-generation solutions providers like Gatik that are shaping the future of freight infrastructure.”
1,000...California Pizza Kitchen is set to roll-out up to 1,000 automated pizza making kiosks across the US through a partnership with T-ROC Global. The pair will target real estate with high foot traffic, like hospitals, hotels, campuses, and sports venues, where opening a full sized restaurant would be impractical.
The offering will use TurboChef powered cooking, touchscreen technology and data driven systems. According to California Pizza Kitchen, the kiosks can prepare a pizza in as little as 90 seconds. The menu is expected to extend beyond pizza. Plans are afoot to offer items including Kung Pao and Bolognese spaghetti, Mac ‘N’ Cheese varieties and the brand’s Butter Cake.
California Pizza Kitchen began testing automated retail in 2025. Machines are now operating at airports including Boston Logan International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Dallas Love Field and Dayton International Airport. The company also expects to activate another 15 at universities by the end of 2026.
“For decades, CPK has been dedicated to meeting consumers wherever they are, whether through our global restaurant network, airport and non-traditional locations, off-site events, or the local grocery store where we’ve been a leading premium pizza brand for 25 years,” says Michael Beacham, President at California Pizza Kitchen Global. “Our automated retail strategy, now accelerated through a partnership with T-ROC, introduces CPK to entirely new occasions and venues where consumers desire quality food on the go.”
100...Wingstop has opened its 100th site across the UK and Ireland. This is located in Inverness, Scotland. It aims to launch up to 30 sites across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland this year. The fast food chain recently revealed that new stores helped revenues surge by 73% to £216.4 million in 2025.
Chris Sherriff, Chief Executive at Wingstop UKI, said: “Customers increasingly seek out brands that offer a memorable experience, differentiated products and genuine value. To have achieved record results, despite the well reported headwinds facing the broader hospitality sector, is a fantastic achievement.”
In a LinkedIn post, Sheriff added: "I'm incredibly proud to have reached our 100th opening and even prouder of the 3,500+ team and partners who have made this journey possible - from construction, suppliers, events and everything in between. Every opening, every event and every contribution matters. Thank You to the entire team."
He added: "The journey doesn’t stop here.....we’re excited to welcome our new team in Poland as we continue to bring Flavour to new markets. I have so many fond memories over the last five years and can't wait to make many more....here's to the next 100+ sites."
$22 million…Levanta, whose technology helps brands find creators, send them products, set up affiliate commissions, track sales and handle payments, has announced a $22 million Series B investment led by Volition Capital, marking the firm's second major investment in the company after leading its $20 million Series A in 2024.
Levanta has now raised more than $43 million in total funding. The new capital will support investment in creator commerce technology and go to market activity, while accelerating its expansion across the retail ecosystem, including bringing dozens of additional retail marketplaces onto the platform.
"We're seeing a broader shift as brands and marketplaces increasingly look to creators and affiliates as measurable drivers of demand beyond their owned channels," says Larry Cheng, Founding Partner at Volition Capital. "Levanta has built the infrastructure to connect that demand with commerce at scale, and we believe the opportunity ahead is substantially larger than when we first invested. We're excited to continue partnering with Ian and the team as they deploy that infrastructure across the retail ecosystem to power creator commerce media."
$3.2 million...A computer vision company selected into NBA Launchpad 2026 has announced $3.2 million in pre-seed funding and opened its seed round. Swish Basket was founded by Joel Bar-El, who built Trax, a Singapore born startup valued at over $3 billion at its peak.
The pre-seed was led by Aristagora VC, which holds a board seat, with participation from Peter Kadas, Nika Capital, and RGE Group. The funding will support Swish's first commercial installations internationally, expand its sensor and AI engineering team, and launch its US marketing and community building.
Swish's AI sensor mounts above the basketball hoop and uses cameras and lidar to track every shot for accuracy, arc, and mechanics, with instant feedback, no wearables, and no setup. At the heart of the platform is Swish's computer vision technology, enabling facial recognition and real-time player identification. Players download an app, which connects them to their Digital Player Profile and brings every on-court session into one connected experience.
Any number of players can shoot at one hoop at once, as the proprietary AI identifies each one and automatically syncs every shot to that profile. The model is now live. In a recent US deployment, Swish powered a multi-hoop tournament, with teams competing head to head in real-time, each shooting on its own hoop while their results ranked on a single live leaderboard.
