Startup RetailDeep develops facial recognition retail automation system

May 16, 2018 | Chris Burt

Categories Biometrics News | Commercial Applications

Startup RetailDeep has been shortlisted for the Top 20 at the XRC Labs accelerator for its facial recognition-powered retail automation technology, and was chosen by Salesforce to be one the first companies to make a pitch to the million-dollar Salesforce Trailblazers Canada Fund, The Chronical Herald reports.

Formerly known as Skyline, RetailDeep provides retailers with AI software to identify customers with digital accounts, track and automatically bill them for their selections. This could enable small and medium-sized businesses to copy automated shops in development by retail giants like Amazon.

XRC will eventually select five startups to receive $100,000 and work out of its Manhattan office space.

RetailDeep is currently expanding an eight-store pilot with Chinese retailer Pocket Noir to 100 locations in China, and is conducting several trials at businesses in Halifax, Canada, including the Halifax Seaport Farmer’s Market, according to the Herald. The company was co-founded by CEO Hai Hu and Changhai Jiang in Shanghai, and moved to Halifax through the Innovacorp startup visa program to enter the North American market. It now has residency at Halifax tech hub Volta Labs.

“We came a long way, but have stayed true to our original vision of helping retailers deliver on a promise of personalized customer experience,” CEO and Co-founder Hai Hu said in a statement.

The company recently reached an agreement with its first U.S. customer to apply its technology to pop-up stores.

A recent report in the National Law Review warned retailers to consider consumer privacy laws when deploying facial recognition tools.