Frogtek Bop

Frogtek is a for-profit social enterprise focused on empowering small, family-run shops in emerging markets. Founded in 2008 by David del Ser and Mark Pedersen, the company was born from del Ser's experience at Columbia Business School and his work with microfinance, combined with his background in mobile application design at Vodafone. The venture targets a fundamental challenge: the millions of "mom-and-pop" shopkeepers who operate without basic business tools, often relying on notebooks to track complex inventories and sales, which limits their profitability and growth potential.

The company's core product is Tiendatek, an Android-based point-of-sale (POS) system. It combines a tablet, a barcode scanner, and proprietary software to provide an affordable and easy-to-use solution for micro-retailers. This system enables shopkeepers to register transactions, manage inventory, track expenses, accept credit card payments, and access simple business metrics to make informed decisions. The software is preloaded with a large database of products and prices relevant to the local market, simplifying setup and daily use significantly. By offering a clear view of their business performance, Frogtek helps these entrepreneurs increase their profits, often by 10-15%.

Frogtek operates on a dual-sided business model. On one side, it serves the shopkeepers directly with the Tiendatek system. On the other, it anonymizes and aggregates the vast amount of transaction data collected from its network of shops. This creates a valuable real-time market intelligence platform called Frogtek Analytics. This platform is sold via subscription to large Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies, such as Unilever and Bimbo, and market research firms. These clients gain unprecedented, real-time insight into a traditionally opaque retail channel, allowing them to track product launches, evaluate promotions, and understand their competitive standing in immense detail. The company's headquarters are in Mexico City, with a technology development team based in Spain. Keywords: retail technology, emerging markets, point-of-sale, POS system, social enterprise, micro-retail, CPG analytics, Base of the Pyramid, financial inclusion, inventory management, Mexico, Latin America, small business tools, mobile payments, data analytics, market intelligence, shopkeeper empowerment, Tiendatek, business intelligence, supply chain data, for-profit social venture, micro-entrepreneurship, retail data