Birdee

Birdee Solutions positions itself as a technology partner for brick-and-mortar retailers, aiming to bridge the gap between in-store and online customer experiences. The company provides a system designed to empower sales staff by delivering real-time, relevant information about customers as they enter the store, rather than at the point of sale. This is accomplished through a smart camera installed at the entrance that recognizes customers who have opted into the service.

The core of Birdee's offering is a platform that uses facial recognition to identify enrolled customers. Once a customer is recognized, the system retrieves their data—including name, purchase history, and key preferences like favorite brands—and presents it to employees via a tablet application. This process equips staff to offer a personalized service, moving beyond generic greetings to create a tailored shopping experience. The business model is centered on providing this technology to retailers, helping them foster stronger customer relationships and increase loyalty, which in turn can lead to higher profits. The data used for personalization is collected directly from customers who create a profile, ensuring information is based on actual interactions with the retailer.

The company's origin stems from an academic exploration into indoor positioning systems in 2013 by founder Michael Huisinkveld, who was then studying at the University of Applied Sciences in Bocholt, Germany. This initial curiosity evolved after Huisinkveld encountered advanced laser and vision technologies in 2015, leading to the development of a minimum viable product in 2016. Huisinkveld's background combines a degree in Business Engineering with sales experience at Tesla Motors, providing a foundation in both the technical and commercial aspects of the business. He is joined by Chief Technology Officer Ishan Dubey, an Electronics and Computer Science Engineer who specializes in computer vision and machine learning. Birdee's stated goal is to use these vision technologies to solve everyday challenges for its clients in retail and other sectors.

Keywords: retail technology, customer recognition, in-store personalization, facial recognition loyalty, smart retail, customer relationship management, retail analytics, brick-and-mortar tech, personalized shopping, customer data platform, store traffic analysis, clienteling, retail customer experience, vision technology, smart cameras, in-store analytics, retail loyalty programs, customer identification, sales staff empowerment, smart store solutions