RTIH Newsletter 02.10.24

Hello everyone,

With less than a month to go until the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards , the countdown is officially on!

Sponsored by CADS , 3D Cloud , Retail Technology Show , StoreSpace and Business France , the RTIH Innovation Awards celebrate global tech innovation in a fast-moving omnichannel world.

Our awards highlight the leading-edge developments that are shaping the future of retail, recognising outstanding achievements across multiple categories. Best of all, entry is completely free, and you can submit your work across multiple categories.

There’s still time to get your entries in – the submission deadline is Friday, 25th October, so don’t miss the chance to be recognised among the industry’s leading innovators!

Now, let's dive into this week's top stories from the world of retail tech:

Visual commerce platform firm Fixtuur lands multi-million pound investment for global expansion push

UK-based visual commerce platform provider Fixtuur has secured an undisclosed (said to be multi-million-pound) investment round led by Maven Capital Partners.

It has also appointed Steve Klin as its Chairman and Charlie Sharland , as a Non-Executive to the board.

David Thomson , CEO at Fixtuur, says: “We are thrilled to receive this backing from Maven Capital Partners . Their continued support validates our significant progress in scaling Fixtuur and demonstrates their trust in our vision for the future.”

TPP Retail appoints former Dune Group and Morley Department Stores exec Dave Abbott as Technical Director

Dave Abbott has joined the TPP Retail leadership team in the new role of Technical Director.

TPP Retail focuses on improving store processes via the likes of shelf-edge labelling, sale and price markdown, Click and Collect, and stock management.

Abbott was previously Head of Technology at Morley Department Stores, and has also served as Head of IT Service Delivery & In-store Technology at The Dune Group.

In a LinkedIn post, James Ussher-Smith , Managing Director at TPP Retail Group , said: “Having worked with Dave on and off through various roles for 10+ years, I know first hand how great he is at crafting technology solutions that deliver real innovation, as well as building and managing high performing and happy teams.”

Former Mastercard executive and data and technology entrepreneur James House joins Reward as CCO

Reward , a specialist in customer engagement and commerce media, has appointed James House as Chief Commercial Officer.

House will lead the development of Reward’s banking and retail customers and oversee key business functions, including business development, marketing services, and product commercialisation. He will also join the executive committee team.

Under the leadership of new CEO Jamie Samaha , Reward has recently added to its executive team with key appointments, which includes, Kate Gusin as Chief Financial Officer, Paul Jones as SVP of Data & Insight, and Sam Sprekos as Managing Director, International.

Ex Migros Supermarkt exec Andy Baldauf added to 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards judging panel

We’re hugely pleased to announce the addition of Andy Baldauf , former Product Manager Digital Services - Total Store at Migros Supermarkt, to our 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards judging panel.

Andy is an expert in stationary and digital retail structures with over 20 years of experience.

As a recognised top retail expert and keynote speaker, he shares his knowledge on a regular basis. His strategic approaches have made him a LinkedIn Top Voice, where he presents his expertise to a worldwide audience.

Welcome onboard, Andy!

‘Game changing’ technology firm 3D Cloud bags $20 million growth capital infusion from Bellini Capital

3D Cloud (formerly Marxent), a specialist in 3D digital asset management for 3D product visualisation, has announced a $20 million growth capital investment led by?Arnie Bellini of Bellini Capital.

"We're pleased once again to have the support of Arnie Bellini and Bellini Capital.? Arnie's mentorship and counsel have been invaluable to our team," says Beck Besecker , CEO and Co-Founder at 3D Cloud , whose clients include CITY Furniture, Best Home Furnishings, and Flexstee.

Pricer onboard with Eurostars funded SELECT project to advance development of sustainable electronics

In-store automation and communication solutions provider, Pricer , has announced its participation in the SELECT (Sustainable Electronics for Energy Harvesting Applications) project, which has received funding through the Eurostars programme, pitched at SMEs collaborating on Research & Development (R&D) projects.

“We are excited to be part of the SELECT project and to work alongside some of Europe’s top innovators in this field,” says Chris Chalkitis , Chief Digital Officer at Pricer.

“This project represents a significant step forward in our efforts to develop sustainable, energy-efficient solutions for our customers. We believe that the advancements made through this collaboration will have a lasting positive impact on both the environment and the retail industry.”?

Jisp Scan & Save solution celebrates third anniversary as retailers praise its impact across their stores

Jisp has marked the three-year anniversary of its Scan & Save app.

Since its launch in 2021, Scan & Save has earned retailers almost ￡6 million while shoppers have saved over ￡2.2 million in that time. Total scans of the app’s AR vouchers also broke through the five million mark, with redemptions leading to sales topping four million.

“Scan & Save has been a massive success across our store estate delivering great results in terms of increased sales, footfall and loyalty,” says Kevin Polley , Operations Manager, Kash Retail.

Spotlight on Our Sister Title: ETIH

Some of you may not know that RTIH has a sister title, EDTech Innovation Hub .

ETIH is dedicated to exploring the latest developments in educational technology, covering how cutting-edge tools and innovations are impacting not only the classroom but also wider industries through professional development.

From AI-driven learning platforms to tools that enhance student engagement, ETIH dives deep into the transformative power of edtech across all levels of education and beyond.

Whether it's covering how teachers approach lessons with tech or helping professionals upskill, ETIH keeps its readers informed on the technology shaping the future of learning and professional growth.

Here are a couple of stories from this week that we think our RTIH readers will enjoy:

Joe Jonas and PlanetPlay join forces for Make Green Tuesday Moves, encouraging gamers to support sustainability

Pop star Joe Jonas has teamed up with PlanetPlay , a not-for-profit platform, to support the growing Make Green Tuesday Moves (MGTM) project, which channels the passion for video games into positive action for the planet.?

Rhea Loucas , CEO of PlanetPlay, said:?

"We're thrilled to have Joe Jonas join the Make Green Tuesday Moves family! His passion for the environment and immense popularity with gamers will be a huge boost to our mission of empowering players to make a real difference.

Asda launches ‘Asda Heroes’ programme to educate primary school students on food waste

British supermarket, Asda , has launched its Asda Heroes programme to educate primary school students on the importance of food waste and responsible consumption.?

Sarah Steel , Future Talent Specialist - School Engagement at Asda, commented on the programme’s launch in a Linkedin post :?

"We launched our primary school programme, Asda Heroes, with Years 4 and 5 in Leeds. The programme's aim is to educate young people about food waste so they can create meaningful impact in their local communities by developing projects that tackle hunger and responsible consumption.”

M&S and YoungMinds reach ￡2 million milestone to support young people’s mental health

马莎百货 has reached a significant fundraising milestone in its partnership with UK charity YoungMinds , raising over ￡2 million to support young people’s mental health.?

Singer and TV presenter, Rochelle Humes, who is a M&S x YoungMinds ambassador, has also introduced the Buddy Bench initiative. The scheme offers 100 schools the chance to win benches made from recycled plastic collected from M&S stores.

Victoria McKenzie-Gould , Corporate Affairs Director at M&S, said:?

“A year ago, we announced our three-year partnership with YoungMinds and it’s been an incredible year! We’re so proud that we’ve already raised over ￡2m of our ￡5m goal, absolutely smashing our first year target!"

Visit the RTIH website to get the latest breaking retail technology news and views from around the world.