Grabango Ceases Operations
Grabango, a technology company that rivaled Amazon for its checkout-free computer vision solutions, is closing up shop after failing to raise sufficient capital to continue operations, according to a report from CNBC.
Established in 2016 by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Will Glaser, Grabango most recently partnered with ALDI to retrofit several stores with technology dubbed ALDIgo, and also teamed with Circle K, Chevron and 7-Eleven on deployments. Using computer vision instead of weight-based technology to track every item in the store, the Grabango system allowed for nearly automatic checkout with payment by app or credit/debit card.
[RELATED: An Up-Close Look at ALDIgo Checkout Tech]
“Although the company established itself as a leader in checkout-free technology, it was not able to secure the funding it needed to continue providing service to its clients,” a spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC. “The company would like to thank its employees, investors, and clients for all their hard work and dedication.”
Glaser, who also co-founded music streaming service Pandora, told Progressive Grocer last month that Grabango’s system differed from Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology and that of other competitors because it depended on computer vision instead of shelf sensors.
For its part, Amazon removed its Just Walk Out technology from Amazon Fresh stores in the United States earlier this year to focus on its signature Dash Cart, a tech-enabled cart that allows shoppers to scan items while they shop and avoid traditional checkout processes. Just Walk Out is now available in Amazon Go stores, Amazon Fresh stores in the UK, and over 170 third-party retailers globally.
