Plug and Play Expo: Three Consumer-Focused Startups to Watch
As part of its recent Fall Expo Event, Plug and Play, a Silicon Valley-based global investor and technology accelerator that specializes in growing tech startups, held a startup pitch competition with 19 companies that are part of its Brand and Retail Accelerator program. While all 19 companies who participated had innovative and disruptive solutions to share, here are three startups with consumer-focused applications that retailers may want to keep their eyes on.
Sightly
The TargetView platform from Sightly allows retailers to run microtargeted, hyperlocalized video ad campaigns, optimized by consumer device, needs and location. Ads can be run at the national or local level, with individualized one-to-one marketing capabilities in the works. An optimization engine scans campaigns every 30 minutes, and TargetView is designed to target users by context, behavior, intent and device. Another bonus is that Sightly has exclusive access to YouTube’s TrueView inventory platform. Wendy’s is a current public retail client.
KptnCook
KptnCook provides a mobile recipe app designed to save consumers from drowning in the “overwhelming” volume of online recipe content now available online, as well as the continually expanding array of specialty ingredients on grocery shelves. The app delivers three recipes each day with links to all the specific products needs to make them, including localized prices and stores where ingredients can be bought. As consumers become more aware of what goes into their food and have less time to plan meals and buy groceries, KptnCook is poised to solve several food-related issues for them.
Honey
Honey is a remarkably simple browser extension that allows consumers to instantly maximize their online coupon savings with elements of gamification. Once the consumer adds Honey to their web browser, they can push a button to automatically search all relevant coupon codes before finalizing an online purchase, and then have the most beneficial code(s) automatically applied to the order.
In addition to providing a valuable money-saving service, Honey also gives consumers the potential thrill of hitting the “jackpot” with an obscure coupon code they never would have found on their own. The potent combination of savings and fun has probably driven Honey’s 1 million installs and 1 billion shopping page views, all with no marketing.
Again, these are just three examples from 19 great companies. But I selected these solutions because they all focus heavily on the personal needs of the individual consumer, whether those needs are to receive a video marketing message that will help them in a precise place at a precise time, cook a home-cooked meal with minimal stress and preparation, or get the best deal possible on a specific online purchase. Vendors are realizing that consumers expect retailers to use leading-edge technology to provide them with instant, one-to-one service, hopefully retailers are realizing the same.
Editor’s Note – Chain Store Age would to like to congratulate Prevedere, Augmented Pixels and Grabit Inc., the top three finishers in the Brand and Retail Accelerator Pitch Competition. We expect to be hearing a lot more about you in the near future!