Tesco, the British-based food retailer, recently invested in Israeli startup Trigo Vision. The tech startup has developed a computer vision platform for checkout-free shopping, allowing customers to grab items and go.
Tesco, the world’s third-largest food retailer, announced last Thursday that its customers using the Tesco app will be able to walk into a store, select items, and leave without using the checkout counter. Shopping will be quicker than ever as payment will be processed automatically. Since last summer Tesco has been collaborating with Trigo Vision on this project.
“We’ve vetted the main players in the industry and Trigo is the best by a mile,” said Tesco’s outgoing CEO Dave Lewis in a statement.
“It is an honour for us that a company like Tesco believes in us,” said Trigo’s CEO Michael Gabay. “We see Tesco as a forward-thinking retailer. Tesco has always been a pioneer in innovation in the industry, from internet purchasing to automation.”
“This collaboration is a huge expression of confidence in the idea of cashier-less supermarkets. With this partnership, we will be able to move from a pilot to a larger scale expansion,” he added.
Tesco’s investment adds to Trigo’s recent $22 million Series A funding round led by Red Dot Capital. The round also saw participation from previous investors Vertex Ventures Israel and Hetz Ventures.
Founded in 2017, Trigo Vision identifies the items in a store selected by customers uses ceiling-mounted cameras and 3D Space Mapping tech. Customers are then automatically charge, similar to Amazon Go, the world’s first automated supermarket where shoppers sellect items and pay automatically through an app.
Trigo’s tech covers even more ground and offers a solution for every store or retailer, regardless of layout.
Alongside Tesco, Trigo has been working with Shufersal, Israel’s largest supermarket chain. The startup is working to bring its technology to the chain’s stores, beginning earlier this year with a pilot program in one of its Tel Aviv branches.
