Yo-ren

Yo-ren Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., founded in 2011 by Sam Kaneda, operates as a specialized technology solutions provider for offline retailers, focusing on the Chinese consumer market. The firm's core offerings revolve around enhancing customer relationships and operational efficiency through custom-developed CRM and BtoC systems. These platforms manage comprehensive data points including sales, orders, inventory, and memberships, enabling clients to implement targeted marketing campaigns and sophisticated loyalty programs.

Yo-ren's business model encompasses a suite of services designed to support digital transformation for retailers. This includes CRM operations, where the company analyzes member attributes and purchase behaviors to devise personalized communication strategies aimed at increasing repeat purchases and reactivating lapsed customers. Additionally, the company provides EC/OMO (Online-Merge-Offline) channel operational support, offering one-stop marketing services on Chinese e-commerce platforms, from strategic planning to flagship store management. Yo-ren also engages in social media marketing on Chinese platforms and offers IP/entertainment content marketing and promotion.

The company has demonstrated steady growth and investor confidence, having raised a total of $11.9 million over two funding rounds. Its latest funding was a Series A round on March 7, 2019, which raised $11 million and was led by Lawson and T-Gaia, with Sumitomo also participating as an institutional investor. A significant milestone was reached in January 2025, when the company's CRM member data surpassed 65 million users. In March 2024, Yo-ren was certified as a High-Tech Enterprise by the Shanghai Municipal Government. More recently, in May 2025, the firm established the "Yoren AI Factory" to specialize in Chinese generative AI technology, and in August 2025, it opened an office in New Cairo, Egypt, to expand its presence in the Middle East and Africa.

Keywords: retail technology, CRM systems, China retail, BtoC solutions, e-commerce operations, OMO channel, customer data management, loyalty programs, digital marketing China, retail analytics, marketing campaigns, social media marketing, consumer market, offline retailers, digital transformation, supply chain solutions, generative AI, retail data, customer lifecycle value, flagship store operation