Swirl Networks is a Boston, MA-based provider of a proximity-based indoor mobile marketing platform. Its core product leverages Bluetooth Low Energy and Apple’s iBeacon technologies to enable retailers and brands to deliver relevant digital content and offers to consumers’ smartphones while they shop in specific areas of a store. Customers include Lord & Taylor, Hudson’s Bay, Urban Outfitters, Marriott, Alex and Ani, and Timberland. The company raised $18M in this venture capital financing and has $32M in total funding to date. Backers in the round included Hearst Ventures, Longworth Venture Partners, SoftBank Capital, Twitter Ventures and other strategic investors. Swirl intends to use the funds to expand sales and marketing operations and invest in product innovation. The company is led by founder and CEO Hilmi Ozguc and focuses on proximity marketing for brick-and-mortar retail. Swirl Networks offers an in-store mobile marketing platform that leverages indoor micro-location targeting to deliver relevant messages, content and offers to consumers while they shop. The platform is designed to increase store traffic, customer engagement and sales conversions for retailers. Customers mentioned include Timberland, Kenneth Cole and Alex and Ani. The company is led by founder and CEO Hilmi Ozguc. Swirl closed an $8M funding round to support its growth. It intends to use the funds to expand its technology platform into the large-scale, multi-category retail market. Swirl Networks offers a website and free iOS app that acts as a mobile personal shopping assistant focused on offline fashion discovery. The app surfaces real-time deals, directs users to nearby stores, and enables sharing and collaboration via Facebook. At launch Swirl reported 220 deals with major brands such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Old Navy, covering 30,000 stores and 100,000 items across the U.S. The product learns user preferences over time to make personalized suggestions and aims to keep users engaged even when they are not actively shopping. Swirl is developing a retailer dashboard to provide brands with in-store consumer insights and plans to expand beyond fashion into categories like housewares. The company also plans to add mobile payment functionality eventually, while for now prioritizing driving in-store sales.

Total raised

$32M

Funding rounds

3

Latest round

Series C

Latest activity

Apr 2015