Retail Tech Startups

Zest is a food safety management application that digitizes HACCP compliance and traceability (product origin, expiration dates, temperature logs) and helps manage a Sanitary Control Plan (PMS). It targets food retailers, cafés, hotels, and restaurants, and helps reduce paperwork and food waste.

1 investor

Zipline is a platform designed for retail organizations that combines communications, task management, and AI-driven store performance insights across multiple locations. The software helps coordinate headquarters, district managers, and store employees to execute operations, maintain brand consistency, and improve customer experience.

1 investor

Zippedi builds autonomous in-store robots that navigate retail environments to gather shelf data for major retailers. The company operates its robot fleets across multiple continents in the retail sector.

1 investor

Zíro is a payment method that lets distributors and manufacturers offer interest-free credit to small retailers (traditional channel stores) without assuming default risk, while receiving guaranteed payment on agreed terms. It handles identity verification, credit evaluation, and fraud prevention, and integrates with e-commerce, CRM, or sales tools.

1 investor

Zoined offers a cloud-based analytics platform that combines sales, e-commerce and visitor data into unified reporting for retailers and merchants. It includes ZED, an AI-powered data analyst that lets users query their data and generate filtered, visualized business insights.

1 investor

Zunify runs a loyalty and promotions program where customers earn and redeem points on purchases, accessible by scanning a QR code or entering a phone number. It offers integration for e-commerce.

1 investor

Zwipe provides branded membership card and loyalty infrastructure for restaurants, enabling them to drive repeat visits and predictable recurring revenue through paid membership programs tied to physical and virtual cards.

1 investor

Guoquan Shihui, a brand of Guoquan Food (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., sells at-home meal products across categories including hot pot, barbecue, drinks, single-serve meals, ready-to-cook packs, fresh food, Western food, and snacks through a network of community franchise stores. It reaches consumers in China via its store network plus online channels including its own app, a WeChat mini-program, and third-party delivery platforms.

1 investor

GRSOFT develops software for automating mobile trade and wholesale/field sales, including a cloud product called AceTeam and a custom server-based solution called "Napoleon". Its offerings include integrations with warehouse systems such as MoySklad for wholesale and distribution businesses.

1 investor

Returneeds (리터니즈) operates a dedicated reverse-logistics center that handles product returns for e-commerce brands, including automated pickup, vision-AI-based inspection with high-resolution photos, and restocking or disposal. It integrates with commerce platforms to process returns, recover an average of 88%+ of returned items as sellable inventory, and support claim handling and consignment sale, donation, or disposal.

1 investor

Lifizz offers a ready-made cocktail and highball solution for bars, pubs, and casual dining establishments in South Korea. The platform enables bar staff to prepare professional-quality mixed drinks through a simple pump-and-carbonation system without requiring advanced bartending skills.

1 investor

Generative Lab builds an AI-powered virtual customer service agent that automates customer inquiries for e-commerce and retail businesses. The system handles shipping inquiries, returns/refunds, product recommendations, and order processing while integrating with ERP and WMS systems, escalating complex or sensitive issues to human agents.

1 investor

Kolon Mobility Group is a Korean automotive distributor and dealer group that imports and sells premium car brands including BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce, Volvo, Polestar, and Lotus, along with audio brands such as Bang & Olufsen and Bowers & Wilkins. It operates as part of the larger Kolon Group conglomerate.

1 investor

Partron ESL develops electronic shelf label (ESL) products and gateway systems for retail stores, including slim tags, durable displays, and digital signage-integrated labels. Its products serve retailers across various industries with wireless price/information display and large-scale tag network management.

1 investor

Honeyspoon is a retail brand selling products through offline stores located in department stores and a duty-free store in Busan, South Korea. The page functions as an e-commerce checkout and store-location listing.

1 investor

Aquabit Spirals is a Japanese company providing NFC and QR-based "tap-to-connect" systems for local governments, commercial facilities, and retail stores, covering digital voucher issuance and settlement, IP promotions with visit tracking, and tap-based loyalty and guidance services. Its offerings include electronic tickets, NFC tag design and cloud management, and smart-plate visitor engagement tools.

1 investor

WATCHNIAN is a brand centered on wristwatches, with a stated mission of promoting the "circulation" (resale/reuse) of watches. The page explains the meaning behind the brand name, logo, and mascot character but gives no concrete product or service details.

1 investor

Ruby Group is an e-commerce operations agency that provides full-service outsourcing (BPO) and business process reengineering for online retailers, covering site development, photography, design, operations, web marketing, customer support, logistics, consulting, and localization. It works platform-neutrally (Shopify, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, EC-CUBE and others) and focuses largely on overseas and luxury brands operating in Japan.

1 investor

A Japanese restaurant and food retail operator with multiple brands serving customers across the Kanto, Chubu, Kansai, and Kyushu regions. The company aims to become a neighborhood destination for dining and food shopping.

1 investor

HotMaxx (好特卖) operates a chain of discount retail stores in China that sell surplus and near-expiry branded goods—including snacks, beverages, instant foods, household products, and baby items—at deeply reduced prices. Founded in 2020, it uses professional buyers to source discounted inventory globally, helping brands clear stock while offering low prices to Chinese consumers, with over 800 stores across more than 100 cities.

1 investor

unerry operates Beacon Bank®, a real-world behavioral data platform that captures over 30 billion location-based data points monthly and applies AI to analyze consumer movement across stores and commercial areas. The company provides retail DX support, OMO marketing services, and data-driven smart city planning in Japan.

1 investor

Aoyama Lab operates SECRET MALL, a closed membership-only online shopping site selling beverages, alcohol, food (rice, meat, fish, vegetables, sweets and processed foods), gift products, and home appliances at special prices. Through partner companies it offers members discounted goods while helping manufacturers expand their sales channels, and it also runs gift-card services for corporate and individual customers.

1 investor

CounterWorks operates ShopCounter, an online platform in Japan for discovering, booking, and paying for commercial spaces such as pop-up stores, event venues, retail storefronts, and exhibition areas. It serves both space owners looking to monetize vacant retail space and tenants seeking short-term commercial space, with concierge support for finding locations.

1 investor

CRISP, Inc. operates the custom salad restaurant chain "CRISP SALAD WORKS" and builds a technology-driven "connected restaurant" model for the food service industry in Japan.

1 investor