Romanian startup Footprints AI, which provides advanced retail media and data insights solutions to help retailers optimize advertising and customer engagement, has secured €2.3 million in funding, led by Catalyst Romania, with participation from SeedBlink.
- Established in 2017 by Dan Marc, Footprints AI develops an advanced retail media and data insights platform that leverages artificial intelligence to optimize advertising and customer engagement.
- The platform enables agencies, brands, and retailers to plan and execute omnichannel campaigns with precision, transforming shopping behavior into actionable media audiences.
- Footprints AI analyzes the purchasing behavior of over 25 million customers each month and serves top brands and retailers across Central and Eastern Europe, including Profi, Carrefour, Wolt, Lagardère Travel Retail, and Altex.
- According to the startup, its solution transforms anonymous shopper data into media audiences, increasing retailer revenue by up to 10x while ensuring full data privacy.
Details of the deal
- The fresh funding was led by Catalyst Romania through its Fund II, a Bucharest-based venture capital firm that invests in tech startups with ticket sizes ranging from €1 million to €3 million.
"The platform and the team behind it have exceeded our expectations, and according to the latest data, the company’s revenue increased sixfold in 2024 compared to the previous year,” explains Marius Ghenea, Managing Partner at Catalyst Romania and part of the 3TS Capital Partners Romania network.
- Existing investors, along with SeedBlink, a Bucharest-based platform enabling equity management, startup financing, and secondary market access for European private companies and stakeholders, participated in the round.
- The funds will be used for international expansion, enhancing the platform with advanced AI, automation, scalability, and improving data security to strengthen Footprints AI's leadership in retail media.
“This investment allows us to meet the growing demand in CEE, a region where the demand for retail media far exceeds the supply, and to expand into new markets where we identify exceptional growth potential," CEO and co-founder of Footprints AI, Dan Marc, commented.
