Project Round-Up
UNITED STATES CHINA
McLane Company, one of the nation’ s largest US distributors and an industry-leading partner to the biggest retail and restaurant brands, has opened a new tech hub in Austin, Texas, to accelerate its Information Technology and Digital( IT & D) strategy. The hub will support around 100 teammates in cybersecurity, data, AI and cloud engineering, driving collaboration and innovation. Austin’ s deep talent pool is said to help McLane strengthen its digital foundation for growth, focusing on frictionless experiences, automation and real-time visibility powered by AI. The IT & D team is led by Chief Information & Digital Officer, Murat Genc, who joined in September 2024 from Whirlpool and Procter & Gamble.“ Our strategic investments in digital supply chain, cloud, data and AI are laying the groundwork for a future-ready logistics, retail and food services model,” said Genc. Supporting him are four new vice presidents: Tanya Coutray( Retail CIDO), Nick Elizondo( Enterprise and Supply Chain Platforms), Juan Gomez-Sanchez( Cybersecurity) and Sid Kulkarni( Data, Analytics and AI).
Shanghai-based Universal Scientific Industrial( USI) has launched its first intelligent tablet POS device with EMVCo-certified payment integration. Combining ordering and sales with secure payments, the device offers retailers a flexible, portable and future-ready solution that enhances customer experience. Pitched as lighter and sleeker than traditional POS systems, the device supports multi-payment options, with PIN entry and authentication validated by leading international payment organisations. Powered by the Qualcomm Dragonwing QCS6125 processor, the solution boosts mobility, streamlines payments and provides real-time analytics for precision sales management. Its design allows deployment across stores, pickup points and pop-up locations.“ Qualcomm values its collaboration with USI in industrial and retail innovation at the edge,” said Atul Prasad, Director, Product Management, Qualcomm Technologies. Justin Chen, Senior Product Director, Castles Technology, said:“ Our collaboration with USI will allow retailers to seamlessly integrate payment services and expand their retail applications.” USI expects rollout in H2 2025.
BRAZIL
NielsenIQ( NIQ) has acquired Brazilian SaaS company Mtrix to strengthen supply chain visibility and expand its presence in Latin America. The deal marks NIQ’ s first additive transaction in the region since joining Advent International’ s portfolio in 2021 and highlights its long-term commitment to emerging markets. NielsenIQ’ s global retail measurement platform already covers more than 95 countries, tracking over 162 million product codes across 1,800 + categories, with billions of transactions processed each month. The integration of Mtrix adds a critical new dimension: deeper visibility into indirect distribution channels which are particularly vital in emerging markets like Latin America. Mtrix integrates data between manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors, providing real-time insights into stock levels and sales activity. With more than a decade of experience, it works with over 2,000 distributor and wholesaler partners and captures transactions from 1.2 million points of sale across Brazil. Its client base includes nearly 100 of the region’ s largest CPG manufacturers.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Czech retail tech start-up, Buylo, has raised € 640,000 from Purple Ventures to scale its RFID-powered self-checkout and inventory automation platform across Central and Eastern
Europe. Brno-based Buylo integrates RFID tags, sensors, AI and self-checkout systems to automate inventory management, track customer behavior, reduce theft and speed up transactions. Its Scan & Pay solution enables customers to complete purchases in as little as 10 seconds – while real-time analytics provide retailers with actionable insights.“ We want to help retailers streamline operations and make shopping easier and faster. Buylo is not just about cost savings; it’ s about making retail data-driven, personalised and transparent,” said Co-founder and CEO, Josef Voda. Purple Ventures, which recently launched a € 40 million fund focused on CEE start-ups, backed the round. Founder Jakub Nytra said Buylo’ s solution‘ reduces costs, increases sales and gives retailers control’. The funds will support product development, market expansion and team growth. www. intelligentretail. tech 33