Embargo provides a plug-and-play CRM and loyalty platform tailored to hospitality SMEs such as coffee shops, bakeries, and restaurants, enabling personalised marketing and retention across in-store, collection, and delivery channels. The product includes AI and machine-learning capabilities to support personalised marketing and drive repeat sales and digital engagement. Recent integrations with US payment and POS providers Square and Lightspeed signal a broader global strategy. The company plans to further develop its AI/ML engine, ramp up B2B sales and marketing in existing markets, and begin launching in new geographies from 2026. Co-founded in 2018 by Frederick Szydlowski and Tsewang Wangkang, Embargo aims to level the playing field by bringing tools typically reserved for large chains to SMEs. The startup says it intends to more than double its growth year-over-year while maintaining a healthy business model. Embargo provides a CRM and loyalty platform that connects hospitality businesses' loyalty card programmes to an Embargo app, enabling customers to access their cards while clients track and visualise customer data. The platform captures and visualises high-quality customer data to help merchants manage retention strategies. Embargo emphasises helping SMEs compete with larger retailers by using actionable data and loyalty tools. The company plans to use new funding to expand its sales team and invest in product features. Embargo was founded in 2017 and works primarily with hospitality merchants to deepen customer relationships through data-driven rewards and retention tools.

Total raised

$4M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Aug 2025