1crowd is a unique equity crowd funding platform focused on connecting investors with a host of extremely promising Indian start-ups and early stage ventures, with an array of capital solutions and co-investment commitment. For a start-up, with an incredible business idea, 1crowd will not only help raise capital, but will also provide access to a pool of illustrious mentors and effectual partners who can help nurture the business to its potential.  What differentiates 1crowd from others is their ecosystem that has been built around “commoditized” fundraising. Their range of services includes deal origination and sourcing, structuring the capital raising, guidance on building business plans and financial models, screening proposals, carrying out due diligence, providing access to investor members and presentment, deal closure, mentoring, and post investment monitoring. 1crowd co-invests in companies that raise capital through our platform. 1crowd is also in the process of launching a suite of exclusive capital solutions for start-ups, early stage ventures and investors.

1Crowd

Mela Ventures is a SEBI-approved AIF Category-2 fund for the early stage companies. With a goal to build next-gen entrepreneurs, the fund will focus on building a portfolio in areas, such as AI/ML, AR/VR, IoT, Cloud Migration and Deep Technologies.

Mela Ventures

The Chennai Angels (TCA), formerly known as Chennai Entrepreneurship Trust Fund, was established in November 2007 with the objective of fostering Entrepreneurship with prime focus on nurturing and mentoring new generation entrepreneurs.  You can play bellayoscura.com for real money or test your skill in practice mode - all under a safe and responsible gaming environment and a 24/7 customer support. Aspiring entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas often fumble to translate thoughts into commercially viable ventures. These teething troubles could be attributed to inadequate awareness in taking the ideas forward or paucity of funds.  In an effort to help these young minds, a group of prominent successful entrepreneurs came forward to form a consortium called The Chennai Entrepreneurship Trust Fund in Nov 2007, which is now The Chennai Angels (TCA). TCA are a Group of successful leaders who have successfully built, run and in many cases exited enterprises across multiple domains and industries and help entrepreneurs build and grow their ventures and enterprises into successful companies.  Besides providing capital, TCA members act as mentors for the green horns venturing into the world of business. TCA has among its members several Venture Capitalists who are available to partner TCA on larger outlays. The big advantage of being a TCA investee is that, apart from very high quality mentoring, investors are able to handhold the entrepreneur through the life cycle of fund raising as well and open doors to customers and partners of very high order.

The Chennai Angels

Sat Industries is an investment holding company. They operate business activities such as leasing, finance, investments, domestic trading, import, and export. There are manufacturers of stainless steel flexible flow solutions, flexible intermediate bulk containers, and polypropylene-density polyethylene woven bags.

Sat Industries

Peaceful Progress is an angel fund that seeks to invest in early-stage tech-led consumer companies. It focuses on technology-enabled startups in emerging sectors such as AI, ML, IoT, VR, MR, non-tech start-ups in the FMCG segment as well as other new-age disruptors. Peaceful Progress transforms high-potential brands into sector leaders.

Peaceful Progress

Infilect

Infilect Technologies specialises in deriving intelligence by parsing large-scale visual content such as photos and videos using proprietary deep learning and artificial intelligence technology and provide highly scalable SaaS products for the retail and advertising industries.

Infilect has developed a computer vision-powered inventory monitoring solution named “InfiViz” for consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers and large-format retailers. InfiViz is designed to monitor inventory in real time and provide live insights related to shelf availability, product mix optimization, and shopper analytics, such as shelf and brand interactions. InfiViz can also be used to identify unscanned items at self-checkout counters to reduce retail shrink.

Providing a seamless consumer experience is one hope for bringing back brick and mortar retail, automated stores are being built to do just that.

Automated Stores

Retail Visual Intelligence Innovator, Infilect Raises $1.5 Million Pre-Series A Funding

Infilect has developed a computer vision-powered inventory monitoring solution named “InfiViz” for consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers and large-format retailers. InfiViz is designed to monitor inventory in real time and provide live insights related to shelf availability, product mix optimization, and shopper analytics, such as shelf and brand interactions. InfiViz can also be used to identify unscanned items at self-checkout counters to reduce retail shrink.The solution also provides recommendations and action plans for CPG brands to improve stock-keeping unit penetration, shopper journey, and sales.Key customers and partnershipsAs of July 2024, Infilect’s platform had processed over 25 million in-store images per month across 400,000 stores in 18 countries. As of July 2024, the company’s customers included 30+ global FMCG and retail brands, including Procter &amp; Gamble, L’Oréal, Unilever, The Kraft Heinz Company, and AB InBev.In January 2023, Infilect announced its expansion into the Australian market through a partnership with CatMan Consulting.

Zippin offers computer vision-powered grab-and-go checkout solutions for retailers. Zippin uses overhead cameras and shelf sensors along with computer vision algorithms to track items picked up by customers. The customers can use Zippin’s mobile app to enter the store, pick up their purchases, and exit the stores to complete the transaction. Zippin claims the combination of cameras and weight sensors provides a more accurate sensor fusion algorithm compared to a purely camera-based solution.&nbsp;Zippin does not use biometrics to identify consumers and only uses overhead cameras to map out customer movements. Zippin’s solutions are priced based on the square footage of the stores.&nbsp;The company also offers the Zippin Crew app, a mobile app that can be used to scan and locate inventory in-store. It provides retailers with inventory insights, such as planogram data, stock availability data, and out-of-stock alerts. Zippin Retailer Dashboard is a store analytics solution that provides insights on real-time shopping activity, planogram compliance, out-of-stocks, and shopper behavior.&nbsp;In 2022, the company launched Zippin Lane, a checkout-free solution suitable for high-traffic locations like sport arenas, airports, train stations, and busy college campuses. Zippin lanes are designed to fit into long and narrow areas with store sizes starting at 240 sq ft.&nbsp;As of September 2022, the Zippin had deployed over 20 Zippin lanes, including nine locations at NFL venues.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsAs of February 2023, Zippin had deployed its technology at 90 store locations including supermarkets and convenience stores such as Lojas Americanas (August 2019) in Brazil and Azbuka Vkusa (May 2020) in Russia. As of September 2023 Zippin had 71 checkout free stores at sports venues and stadiums in the US including Mile High Stadium in Denver, Barclays Center, Houston's NRG Stadium, and Gainbridge Fieldhouse. In 2023, Zippin opened checkout-free stores at multiple NFL stadiums. Zippin also opened a checkout-free store in partnership with the Dallas-based restaurant and entertainment business, Dave &amp; Buster’s (July 2022). In December 2021, the company announced the launch of its first airport store in partnership with JFKIAT, the operator of Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), and SSP America, an airport foodservice operator. In May 2024, Zippin partnered with the food service company&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29719">Aramark</a> to introduce a frictionless and cashierless store at a theme park in the UK.The Japan-based systems integrator Fujitsu serves as Zippin’s exclusive distributor in Japan (December 2020). Under the partnership, Fujitsu has the authority to deploy Zippin’s technology integrated with Fujitsu’s biometric authentication technology. The two companies initially piloted an automated store at a Lawson convenience store chain in Japan (February 2020). In November 2022, the companies extended the partnership to support UK and Europe deployments.&nbsp;

Zippin

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 A vision technology company, AWM (Adroit Worldwide Media) Smart Shelf offers an array of retail solutions. The company&rsquo;s main cashierless checkout solution is called AWM Frictionless, a collaborative solution offered in partnership with Microsoft Azure, and uses several of AWM&rsquo;s product offerings to create an enhanced shopping experience.&nbsp;
 
 
 As shoppers arrive, they launch their mobile app to check in, where the AWM Frictionless platform notes their presence. As shoppers move, cameras track them, and their identity is further validated by facial-matching software. Product selection is then tracked through AWM&rsquo;s Automated Inventory Intelligence solution, which uses a series of super-wide-angle low-light HD cameras and AWM&rsquo;s LED Fascia technology (a type of automated shelving technology). Machine learning tracks shopper purchases and makes shopping list recommendations during subsequent visits. Once shopping is done, shoppers simply exit the store and are automatically charged in their online accounts.&nbsp;
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 The company&rsquo;s partnerships go beyond the retail sector. In January 2020, AWM partnered with OptiCrib to offer friction-free inventory management in the industrial and commercial supply space. Meanwhile, AWM&rsquo;s retail partnerships include Albertsons, Aramark, Coop, Diageo, The Home Depot, Greenpicks Market, and 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25770">
 Choice Markets
 </a>
 .
 
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AWM Smart Shelf

AiFi offers a grab-and-go checkout solution powered by computer vision and AI. Its solution enables a customer to enter a store using a mobile app, pick up the items required, and exit the store to complete the purchase. The solution also generates statistics and insights on customer behavior. The company claims that its technology can track up to 500 customers while also tracking tens of thousands of items in a store. It also claims a 99% accuracy rate and can be used within a space of up to 10,000 square feet, without using facial recognition technology or storing biometric data.AiFi’s flagship platform, “Orchestrated Autonomous Store Infrastructure &amp; Services (OASIS)” is designed for stores ranging from 200 square feet to 10,000 square feet and allows users to select between a fully autonomous shopping experience or a hybrid model. The stores will have a turnstile, a kiosk or door locks at the entrance, which the customer can interact with to gain access to the store. It also can be integrated with existing payments, inventory management, and electronic shelf labeling systems. The stores operate on a subscription-based model, and the company guarantees 12 months to achieve a return on investment (ROI).AiFi leverages the OASIS platform to offer retail clients the option of deploying an AiFi NanoStore, a custom-designed, fully-automated, container-sized, unmanned, checkout-free store format that can be operated 24/7. The NanoStores come in sizes of 160, 300 and 370 square feet specifications. Company claims that its technology can save around USD 20 per hour of operation.Key customers and partnershipsAs of February 2023, AiFi’s technology was deployed at over 100 stores globally. In January 2022, AiFi launched its largest store, a 6,000 sq ft Aldi location in London. AiFi’s key partnerships include Carrefour (November 2018) in the UAE, Zabka (February 2019), Wundermart (February 2021), PostNL (May 2021), Morrisons (July 2021), Aldi (January 2022), Compass Group (December 2021), Kende Gastro (January 2022) in Europe, Loop Neighborhood (January 2020), Choice Market (April 2021), Verizon (May 2021) , Acrisure Arena ( <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29120">May 2024 </a>), and Chicago White Sox (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/33472">September 2024</a>) in the US, and AiGo (December 2020) in China.AiFi also has a partnership with Microsoft (January 2023) to launch a cloud-based analytics service for cashier-less stores. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9389">March 2022 </a>AiFi partnered with Sodexo, the French campus food service operator, to bring autonomous grocery stores to campuses across the US.Funding and financialsBy 2022, AiFi reportedly had revenue growth of 5–6x YoY. In March 2022, AiFi raised USD 65 million in a Series B funding round led by Canada-based investment management firm Khaira CapitalAiFi. It planned to leverage the new funding to scale partnerships, strengthen its deployment team for faster store rollouts, and invest in product development and feature enhancement.

AiFi

<div>
 
 Eflyn is an Ontario-based developer of interactive digital displays, self-checkout kiosks, and vending machine solutions with operations in Canada and the US. Eflyn&rsquo;s self-checkout kiosk range includes solutions designed for the retail industry, as well as restaurant self-ordering and donation and fundraising kiosks for places of worship and non-profit organizations.&nbsp;
 
 
 Eflyn&rsquo;s self-checkout kiosks and stations for retailers enable customers to scan items using a built-in scanner and complete the purchase process using the interactive screen and an attached debit/credit card machine. Eflyn also offers shopify integrations to its kiosk solutions, enabling retailers to integrate their ecommerce operations with retail. The customers can use an Eflyn kiosk with a shopify integration to browse products in the retailer&rsquo;s ecommerce store, check in-store availability, and place an online order in the event an item is not available in store.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 In November 2020, Eflyn Shopify Kiosks were made available to all the company&rsquo;s customers after a trial period with select retailers. Since then, Eflyn served customers across various industries, including retail, education, and foodservice, including customers such as Pet Collar Emporium, Lowe's, Toys&ldquo;R&rdquo;Us Canada, and Ryerson University.&nbsp;
 
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Eflyn

MishiPay is a London-based startup that offers a self-checkout system powered by Radio Frequency ID (RFID) and cloud computing. MishiPay provides an app that allows shoppers to scan the barcodes of products and carry out payments using their mobile devices. The company also provides a progressive web apps (PWA) solution to allow customers to use their self-checkout solution without the need to install and launch an Android app. The company claims the PWA increases transactions by 10 times and has a higher user adoption rate than platform-specific apps.As of April 2024, MishiPay also provides a range of barcode scanner-based self-checkout kiosk solutions, which include a mounted 10-, 15-, or 22-inch tablet that can be integrated with existing point-of-sales solutions in the store.Key customers and partnershipsAs of March 2024, MishiPay’s solutions were used by 30 brands across 14 countries in North America, Europe, and the Middle East. In August 2016, MishiPay partnered with Cisco UK and had its first commercial deployment at Deloitte’s “Store of the Future” in London. Mishipay’s other retail deployment partnerships include Dufry (2017), Leroy Merlin (2017), Saturn (2018), Mango (2018), Decathlon (2019), MUJI (2020), SPAR (2020), Londis (2020), Flying Tiger Copenhagen (2021), Virgin Megastore (2022), Grandiose super markets (2023), Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment (December 2024).In March 2021, the company also deployed its technology in US airports in collaboration with Paradies Lagardère, a North America-based airport retailer and restaurateur. As of 2022, MishiPay had deployments at 30 airports across North America.

MishiPay

Companies providing smart shelves (hardware and software systems, including vision-based systems) and stock tagging systems (including radio frequency identification [RFID]) to track items inside a store

Companies providing shopping carts enhanced with cameras, sensors, and AI to enable automatic checkout

Includes self-checkout kiosks (typically cameras and weight sensors) and mobile app-based scanning solutions (commonly leveraging barcodes and QR codes) that enable users to carry out the checkout process themselves

Companies providing hardware and software solutions (including cameras, sensors, and AI computer vision solutions for stores) to enable customers to completely avoid the checkout process (allowing them to enter a store, pick up an item, and exit the store)

Solutions in the industry are often powered by AI, and ML

Solutions in the industry are often powered by IoT, cloud computing, AI, and ML

Companies in “automated checkout” often use IoT

Infilect

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