Footprints AI, a Romanian technology company developing and commercializing an advanced retail-media and retail-data-insights platform, has attracted a EUR 2.3 million investment to support its international expansion and accelerate technological development.

The funding round was led by Catalyst Romania, with a contribution of EUR 1.5 million. SeedBlink, the European equity crowdfunding platform, also contributed to the funding round, raising EUR 100,000, according to the maximum threshold set for this round, despite higher interest from active investors on the platform. Additionally, all previous investors of Footprints AI participated in the round, reaffirming their confidence in the company’s potential.

The investment will support Footprints AI’s expansion in Romania, the CEE region, as well as globally. The funds will also be used to accelerate the platform development through the integration of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) functionalities, automation, scalability, and data security.

“Retail media represents one of the biggest transformations in digital advertising globally, and Footprints AI is at the forefront of this sector. We chose to support Footprints AI due to the company’s ability to provide a scalable and integrated solution that addresses real market needs and generates measurable results. The platform and the team behind it have exceeded our expectations, and according to the latest data, the company’s revenue increased sixfold in 2024 compared to the previous year,” said Marius Ghenea, Managing Partner at Catalyst Romania, part of the 3TS Capital Partners Romania network, a technology-focused venture capital fund.

“This investment allows us to meet the growing demand in CEE, a region where the demand for retail media far exceeds the supply, and to expand into new markets where we identify exceptional growth potential. Our priorities include the continuous development of the platform, the integration of advanced artificial intelligence functionalities, and consolidating our position as a regional leader,” said Dan Marc, CEO and co-founder of Footprints AI.

The global retail media market is estimated to reach USD 166 billion in 2025, and by 2027, the company estimates that a significant portion of budgets previously allocated to channels such as radio, TV, OOH, and digital marketing will be redirected toward this channel.

In the CEE region, Footprints AI is capitalizing on strong demand in a context where the supply is limited and fragmented. The company’s platform targets a population of over 120 million consumers in the region, offering retailers and brands integrated omnichannel solutions that combine online and offline data.

“Scalability and omnichannel integration represent the future of retail media. We are investing in artificial intelligence and automation to streamline processes and deliver measurable results to our clients in one of the fastest-growing industries. Platform fragmentation and scaling difficulties are major challenges for brands and retailers, and Footprints AI addresses these issues through an integrated platform that combines online and offline data,” said Paul Gheorghiu, Head of Partnerships and Co-Founder of Footprints AI.

Footprints AI operates an advanced retail media network in Central and Eastern Europe. The company analyzes and leverages the purchasing behavior of over 25 million physical and online customers each month, delivering successful campaigns for global brands. Partnerships in the CEE region include retailers such as Profi, Lagardère Travel Retail, Rimi Baltic, Studenac, Wolt, Bolt Food, Carrefour, Altex, and others.

(Photo: Catalyst Romania)

simona@romania-insider.com