Shoppable video start-up Smartzer secures additional $250,000

Retail app Smartzer, previously featured among the top 20 new businesses of 2014, has announced today that it has raised an additional $250,000 bringing its total funding to date to $650,000.

This latest round of funding was backed by a group of high-profile angel investors including Experian CTO Frederic Vander Elst.

Launched in September 2014 by Karoline Gross, London-based Smartzer creates ‘shoppable videos’ using interactive video technology and tagging.

Users can simply click or touch items they see on screen, in catwalk videos for instance, to reveal more information about particular products and add them to a shopping ‘wishlist’.

The business’ ability to bring these rich experiences to customers via the medium of shoppable videos has attracted a number of major brands and Smartzer’s client list includes Marks & Spencer, Barbour, Land Rover, Puma, Whistles, and Joshua Kane.

The company now plans to use the investment to take on new staff and develop its video offering.

Gross commented: “We have seen a number of variations on ‘shoppable videos’ over the years. At Smartzer we believe that there is still ample opportunity to further increase conversion and engagement rates through this innovative technology.”