CoolerX has raised $80.0M in total across 1 funding round.
CoolerX's investors include 8-Bit Capital, Benchmark, Decibel Partners, Electric Capital, Humba Ventures, Softbank Group, Verizon Ventures, Y Combinator, Jay Jamison.
CoolerX is a technology company (formerly Cooler Screens) that builds an AI-powered, omnichannel retail media and merchandising platform for in-store environments. It powers "smart screens" in physical retail stores, delivering personalized content and ads based on anonymous shopper intent to drive sales for retailers and brands.[1][2][3] The platform serves major retailers like Kroger, Walgreens, Giant Eagle’s GetGo, Chevron, and Western Union, solving key challenges in retail media networks (RMNs) such as siloed budgets, unscalable content, and fragmented technology integrations.[1][3][4] Core products include the AI Intent Engine for matching consumer behavior to relevant content, the One Store One Platform for uniting media and merchandising teams, and the Discovery Screen™ for quick in-store media launches—all operating without personal data collection to prioritize privacy.[1][2][3]
CoolerX demonstrates strong growth momentum through partnerships with Microsoft and NVIDIA, a 2023 Digiday Technology Award for Best In-Store Technology, and a recent self-service platform launch enabling retailers to control AI-driven campaigns in-house.[2][3][4]
CoolerX emerged from Cooler Screens, a Chicago-based company focused on in-store digital screens, which rebranded to CoolerX upon launching its flagship AI software in 2023. Co-founder and CEO Arsen Avakian drove the vision, drawing parallels between online search/e-commerce personalization and brick-and-mortar retail, where the platform's "intent engine" was developed to analyze anonymous consumer behavior, contextual signals, and retailer data for real-time relevance.[2][3] The idea gained early traction through collaborations with AI leaders Microsoft and NVIDIA, tailoring the tech for physical store "smart screens" to boost sales without invading privacy—earning Privacy by Design certification.[2][3]
Pivotal moments include rapid deployment in top retailers like Kroger and Walgreens, a Digiday award in 2023, and the 2025 self-service platform debut under Chief Data and Product Officer Artem Lavrinovich, empowering retailers with direct AI access for campaigns.[3][4]
CoolerX rides the in-store retail media wave, where RMNs are exploding as brands shift ad dollars from traditional trade spending to digital-like activations in physical stores—projected to grow amid e-commerce saturation. Timing is ideal post-2023 AI boom, with Microsoft/NVIDIA partnerships enabling edge AI for real-time, hardware-agnostic screens that bridge online/offline gaps.[1][2][3] Market forces like privacy regulations (GDPR/CCPA) and shopper demand for relevant, non-intrusive experiences favor its identity-blind model, while economic pressures push retailers toward high-ROI media solutions amid siloed legacy systems.[1][3][4]
It influences the ecosystem by democratizing AI for brick-and-mortar (via self-service), fostering omnichannel unity, and setting privacy standards—potentially accelerating RMN adoption and inspiring similar tech in CPG/pharma coolers.[1][4]
CoolerX is poised to dominate in-store retail media as AI matures and retailers prioritize unified platforms amid rising RMN budgets. Next steps likely include global expansion beyond U.S. chains, deeper e-commerce integrations, and advanced generative AI for hyper-personalized merchandising without privacy trade-offs.[1][4] Trends like edge computing, zero-party data, and programmatic in-store ads will propel growth, evolving its influence from screen operator to full-stack retail AI enabler—unlocking trillions in untapped physical retail value while redefining shopper experiences.[2][3] This positions CoolerX as the intent-driven bridge between digital retail giants and the enduring power of in-store discovery.
CoolerX has raised $80.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $80.0M Series C in October 2020.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2020 | $80.0M Series C | 8-Bit Capital, Benchmark, Decibel Partners, Electric Capital, Humba Ventures, Softbank Group, Verizon Ventures, Y Combinator, Jay Jamison |
