Dublin software startup Intouch is partnering with Re-Vision, a Dutch tech company, to launch new AI-boosted services for retailers.

The companies will combine their technologies to provide in-store personalised recommendations for shoppers, delivered through self-scanning devices and mobile phones, as well as other real-time promotions and offers.

Real-time behavioural data and factors such as demographics, weather, store location, time of day, day of week, etc. prompts the intelligent decision-making algorithm to show the right products to the right customer at the right time.

The system will be also enabled with self-learning capabilities, allowing it to self-improve based on successful recommendations.

Qreach Limited, which trades as Intouch, was founded in 2015 by by former Google executive Tim Arits (30), as well as Dr Sameh Abdalla (39) and Doychin Doychev (33).

In Association with

The business helps retailers use artificial intelligence to customise in-store promotions. It can do this by factoring contextual info, customer behaviour and buying patterns derived from loyalty programmes into in-store messaging.

Intouch’s tailored promotions software can also integrate with mobile apps POS systems and other devices, while also delivering real-time data on shopper habits, stock levels and so on for product management.

Among Intouch’s customers are Musgrave, Circle K and Danone. Backers of the startup include include Brite:Bill founder Alan Coleman and former CFO Liam Davis, along with Vincent Nolan, former IT manager in Applegreen.

Enterprise Ireland is also supporting Intouch, having provided funding of €250,000 in 2018.

Re-Vision develops hand-held scanners that shoppers can use while doing their shopping; it has also developed mobile apps with similar functionality.

Intouch COO Tim Arits described Re-Vision as global leaders in self-scanning solutions for retail. “Using their experience and our AI expertise, we can now provide retailers with a real-time personalisation platform that was, up to now, only available to online players,” he added.

Michel Haagmans, CEO and owner of Re-Vision, said that he was looking to partner with a company that understood the difference between advertisements for online and offline customers.

“Working with physical retail customers for over a decade, we recognise that the offline-tailored approach Intouch employed in developing their AI model makes our collaboration unique and very powerful,” Haagmans continued.

Photo: Sameh Abdalla (left) and Michel Haagmans