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RetailNext develops an intelligence platform that delivers e-commerce style analytics to physical retail environments. The company's core product captures and analyzes in-store shopper behavior through visual data and advanced analytics, providing metrics such as foot traffic, conversion rates, dwell time, and engagement with merchandise. This comprehensive data allows retailers to gain actionable insights into store operations, customer journeys, and overall performance, integrating information from IoT sensors and video security systems to offer a unified view.
Alexei Agratchev and Marlie Liu co-founded RetailNext in November 2007, recognizing the significant data gap between online and brick-and-mortar retail. Agratchev, drawing from his experience developing video security systems at Cisco, identified the opportunity to apply sophisticated video-based analytics to physical stores. This foundational insight aimed to equip traditional retailers with the same level of detailed behavioral understanding that e-commerce platforms enjoyed, enabling data-driven optimization of the in-store experience.
The platform serves a diverse clientele including retailers, shopping centers, restaurants, and various other physical venues. RetailNext empowers these businesses to measure and enhance customer engagement, optimize store layouts, and make informed decisions regarding staffing and merchandising. The company’s long-term vision centers on solidifying the future of physical retail by providing essential tools that allow stores to compete effectively on the basis of superior, data-optimized customer experiences.
RetailNext has raised $380.0M across 7 funding rounds.
RetailNext has raised $380.0M in total across 7 funding rounds.
RetailNext is a leading technology company specializing in retail analytics, delivering a fully integrated SaaS platform that brings e-commerce-style shopper insights to brick-and-mortar stores, brands, and malls.[1][2][6] It serves over 400 retailers across more than 90 countries, using sensors like the proprietary Aurora to capture real-time data on foot traffic, occupancy, shopper journeys, dwell times, heatmaps, and interactions, enabling optimizations in sales, labor scheduling, security, and operations to boost same-store sales, cut theft, and reduce costs.[2][3][4][6] The platform solves the core problem of making physical retail as data-driven as online shopping, providing actionable, privacy-friendly analytics developed with top retailers for scalable store performance and compliance.[4][5][6]
RetailNext was founded in November 2007 by Alexei Agratchev (CEO), Arun Nair (CTO and co-founder), and one other co-founder as the world's first smart store analytics company, aiming to apply e-commerce metrics to physical retail amid a challenging economic environment.[3] Agratchev, who immigrated to the US and built resilience through early hardships, drove the vision to measure and enhance in-store customer experiences using visual data correlated with POS, labor, and external factors like weather.[3] Early traction was slow, but retail bankruptcies created urgency; securing large retailer pilots yielded strong results, accelerating growth to deployments in tens of thousands of stores across 75+ countries, with headquarters in San Jose, CA.[3][2]
RetailNext rides the resurgence of brick-and-mortar retail amid e-commerce dominance, empowering "smart stores" with IoT and AI-driven analytics to bridge online-offline gaps through precise shopper behavior tracking.[1][2][3] Timing aligns with post-pandemic urgency from retail failures, where data urgency has fueled adoption; market forces like rising operational costs, theft, and hybrid shopping favor its tools for conversion boosts and frictionless experiences.[3][4] It influences the ecosystem by setting standards for privacy-compliant, integrated platforms—used by 400+ retailers globally—driving industry-wide shifts toward data-led decisions in traffic analysis, merchandising, and workforce management.[2][6][7]
RetailNext is poised to dominate resilient retail tech as physical stores demand deeper, predictive analytics amid economic pressures and AI advancements. Expect expansions in AI-enhanced journey mapping, global sensor deployments beyond 100K, and deeper integrations with POS/security systems, fueled by partnerships with lifestyle brands. Trends like omnichannel personalization and sustainability will shape its path, evolving its influence from analytics pioneer to indispensable "pulse" for hybrid retail ecosystems—cementing its role in optimizing shopper experiences at scale.[4][5][6]
RetailNext has raised $380.0M across 7 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $42.0M Other Equity in June 2021.
RetailNext has raised $380.0M in total across 7 funding rounds.
RetailNext's investors include Jason Colodne, Steve Sarracino, American Express, August Capital, Commerce Ventures, NGP Capital, Pereg Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, Siguler Guff & Company, StarVest Partners, 75 & Sunny, 8-Bit Capital.
