Datalogic invests in AWM Smart Shelf, an AI and computer vision company

This article is brought to you by Retail Technology Review: Datalogic invests in AWM Smart Shelf, an AI and computer vision company.

Datalogic, the automatic data capture and process automation solutions provider, has made an investment in AWM Smart Shelf, a California-based artificial intelligence and computer vision company.

AWM offers a comprehensive solution to the retail world, both grocery and non-grocery, including autonomous/cashier-less checkout (AWM Frictionless), Automated Inventory Intelligence (Aii), consumer demographics and behaviour tracking, as well as a complete software suite, Retail Analytics Engine (RAE), for in-store analytics and reporting.

Since Datalogic is a dominant player in the retail market, this investment aims at keeping up with emerging trends in the fields listed above. More specifically, the focus is on Automated Inventory solutions and Frictionless Shopping, two increasingly relevant frontiers to improve the efficiency of retailers on the one hand and convenience of the customer experience on the other.

Valentina Volta, CEO of Datalogic Group, commented: “We are very excited for this business venture, especially at a time when new challenges from the current global scenario are driving radical changes in retail activities. Since our foundation we have been at the forefront of breakthrough solutions in retail for grocery and non-grocery stores, having introduced the first ever retail check-out scanner. The investment brings an added value to the continuous search for customer driven innovation that has distinguished our high-tech product offering since the creation of Datalogic 48 years ago.”

AWM's CEO, Kevin Howard, said: "At AWM we believe the focus for all business and government organisations should be on automation through the use of computer vision, artificial intelligence and machine learning. We are implementing fully autonomous environments for retail, governments, schooling, healthcare and manufacturing. We envision a world where access and interaction are truly seamless throughout the globe. Partnering with the likes of Datalogic furthers our vision and reach on a global level." 

Nicola Tedesco, Head of M&A and Business Development at Datalogic, commented: “AWM is led by a highly qualified team who has developed a unique and proprietary software suite to address the growing customer need for touchless solutions and in-store analytics.” 

AWM Smart Shelf offers cutting-edge ways to expedite and streamline the retail experience, such as its SKU-level planogram placement tool, Product Mapper, Retail Analytics Engine, and dynamic shelf-edge LED displays for customised promotions, advertisements, and digital price tags.