£3m funding package will bankroll overseas expansion and create jobs

A Manchester-based guided design platform for kitchen and bathroom retailers has received a £3m funding boost.

It will enable DigitalBridge to roll-out its services and create 15 jobs. Expansion plans include the creation of additional products and penetration of new markets, particularly the US.

Maven Capital Partners has led the funding round which comprises a £1.5m package from Maven’s Venture Capital Trusts and £1.5m from the NPIF Maven Equity Finance, a regional development fund managed by Maven which forms part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund.

DigitalBridge has been working with Kingfisher (owners of B&Q and Castorama) since 2017.

Its technology guides consumers through the entire process of creating a dream bathroom or kitchen, from concept to completion.

Integrating directly into a retailer’s website and using pioneering AI and computer vision technology, DigitalBridge simplifies the decision-making process by guiding people to easily design and visualise their dream bathroom or kitchen.

The technology has been proven to drastically reduce sales cycles, increase conversion rates and average basket sizes, as well as drive more engaged customers into store.

Customers today expect a streamlined shopping experience – 51% of people abandon the idea of refurbishing because they can’t visualise the new space and 35% of customers return items because they didn’t know when purchasing how it would look at home.

This is compounded by the fact that online transactions now account for 19% of all retail sales in the UK and is steadily increasing year-on-year.

In addition, the roll-out of the 5G network is making this type of technology increasingly accessible across any device.

DigitalBridge uses AI and computer vision to deliver an intuitive and simple to use consumer-focused solution that hides complexity, whether recommending products from the retailer’s catalogue that fit the customer’s budget, needs and style, or auto-designing a dream space.

Having supported more than 800,000 customer projects, DigitalBridge believes in the power of hyper-personalisation and is focused on the end user to build them the best possible product.

Jeremy Thompson, investment director at Maven, said: “The team at DigitalBridge have developed a market-leading AI product which solves a genuine problem for retailers by better engaging with their customers online.

“The considerable traction they have seen proves they’re enabling retailers to increase conversions, shorten sales cycles and increase order values.

“The business is developing a strong working culture which has helped them attract some exceptional talent in computer vision and machine learning.

“We are genuinely excited to work with them and support their next stage of growth, as they look to accelerate deployment of the existing product, develop new products and enter new markets, including the US.”

David Levine, chief executive at DigitalBridge, added: “Consumer buying behaviour has fundamentally changed, especially online as e-commerce now accounts for 15% of all retail purchases, according to Mary Meeker’s Future of the Internet.

“People are doing most of their research online and are being inspired by what they see.

“Bathrooms and kitchens still require a lot of face-to-face time and store visits, however, so DigitalBridge uses AI and computer vision to guide consumers through the complex and confusing journey of designing their dream bathroom or kitchen.

“We’re excited to partner with Maven to drive DigitalBridge to the next level.

“In addition to the European retailers we are working with, this investment supports our growth into the US market and allows us to deliver on the opportunities we’re already working on.”

Principals and key advisors to the transaction were: Legals – Shoosmiths LLP and Gateley; commercial due diligence – Drystone Strategy Partners; financial due diligence – DTE Business Advisers; insurance – Lockton; technology – Intuitus; management referencing – Argyll Fenton; fund raising – Epiphany Capital.