LAUNCHING INDUSTRY-FIRST MACHINE VISION TECHNOLOGY
CAMBRIDGE, MA, July 25, 2018 — Squadle, Inc., a next generation AI operations platform, secured $3M in funding to expand operations as it brings modern, digital, data-driven solutions to the largest multi-unit brands in the nation. The company will use the capital to grow their team and augment their products with industry-first machine vision capabilities.
Squadle Genius is an AI/Machine Vision add-on to Checklists that uses in-store cameras to detect issues. The system has been in use over the last year by customers participating in a closed beta.
Squadle Genius is an AI/Machine Vision add-on to Checklists that uses in-store cameras to detect issues. The system has been in use over the last year by customers participating in a closed beta.
“This funding allows us to scale rapidly while continuing to offer the best vendor support in the industry,” said Le Zhang, co-founder, and CEO of Squadle. “And with capital in hand, we are gearing up to introduce cutting-edge AI technologies that we believe will shape the industry over the next few years.”
Squadle’s new machine vision product is being launched after a year of stealth development. The technology, called Squadle Genius, uses in-store camera feeds to detect store quality and consistency issues, such as empty display cases, marketing material placement, leftover food on tables, or overflowing trash cans.
- Checklists on a Tablet Improves Consistency and Profitability
Squadle’s flagship Checklists solution puts operating procedures on a tablet and digitizes the thousands of paper logs used by operators every day. Paper logs are error-prone and hard to use for employee follow-up. Tablet based Checklists improves employee engagement, task completion, and saves hours of follow-up time for store and district managers resulting in more consistent and profitable operations.
- Patented Wireless Sensors Automate Food Safety Compliance
Squadle’s wireless 24/7 temperature sensors and patented Zero-Touch™ handheld probe help operators automate time-consuming food safety temperature checks, saving time, and increasing compliance.
- Alerts and Big Data Analytics Empower Managers and Owners
Real-time Alerts tell managers when important tasks have been missed so they can address issues before they become a problem. Big Data Analytics gives managers and owners x-ray vision into trends and best practices at their stores. Real-time reports, daily emails, and operations benchmarks help managers and owners make better operating decisions every day.
The $3M funding round is led by a private family fund. Companyon Ventures and Walnut Ventures also participated in the round.
“We were thoroughly impressed with Squadle’s ability to solve genuine pain points in the hospitality industry and we are thrilled to support them as they continue to grow,” said Michael Inwald, current fund manager for Squadle’s lead investor and former multi-unit restaurant owner and operator. “We believe that the future of restaurant technology will be driven by a continued need for greater operational efficiency in the field combined with thoughtful integration of data-driven intelligence. Squadle has shown both the capability and commitment to tackling those challenges and we can’t wait to see their new solutions improve the experience for brands and their customers.”
About Squadle
Squadle is a next generation AI operations platform that is redefining and enhancing multi-unit restaurant operations in the digital age. The company provides easy-to-use, cutting edge solutions to their restaurant partners, with nationwide deployments with multi-unit franchisees and Fortune 500 chains. Founded by MIT, Boston College and Johns Hopkins alumni, the company has offices in Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Washington DC.