Cooler Screen Partners with Microsoft to bring its digital cooler doors to more stores.

 

Cooler Screens, A Chicago tech company making a digital screen for retailers, refrigerator cooling doors have entered a multi-year contract with Microsoft to help bring it tech to more retailers. Chicago-based cooler screen leverages smart screens powered by AI and IOT to enhance the in-store customer shopping experience at Walgreens.

Cooler Screen is a Chicago startup that combines retail product merchandising with digital technology to deliver relevant in-store shopping experiences that mimic contextually relevant online shopping experiences. Its technology works by embedding smart screens are equipped with IoT sensors and other technology, enabling them to function as both merchandising and advertising platforms.

It is a Chicago-based startup that was founded in 2017 by a group of business executives with combined experience in the CPG space. These include Arsen Avakian, the founder and former CEO of Argo Tea, Glen Tullman, founder of Livongo, and Greg Wasson, the former CEO of Walgreens.

Cooler Screen combines retail product merchandising with digital technology to deliver a contextually relevant shopping experience for consumers in brick and motor stores. They do this via the use of smart screens embedded in cooler doors within the stores themselves. The screen also serves as digital ads of various type and sizes which appear on the screens as people shop.

From a technology perspective, a cooler screen is basically a very large smart screen on "Super iPad" as Avakian put it, embedded into a large glass cooler door. They essentially turn the collect aisle into the world's first and largest in-store digital merchandising and a media platform. Through collaboration with Microsoft, the tech giant will help cooler screens scale and sell its tech platform to retailers and product brands by offering are providing an easy to use platform that allows cooler screen customers and partners to access and license the tech.

Because of Microsoft's strength in cloud and edge, it has been able to accelerate cooler screen's ability to quickly launch pilots, providing the foundation to support cooler screen's expansion and growth. the companies did not disclose with companies are piloting cooler screen tech. However, the company said they will also explore "Additional Integration Opportunities" to deliver enhanced experiences to customers.

But the partnership won't include cooler screen's tech at any Microsoft retail locations. the partnership comes shortly after Microsoft co-led an $80 million funding round for cooler screens the total funding is more than $100 million.

"Today retailers are looking to use digital technology to transform their businesses and redefine the shopping experience for customers, "Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, "said in a  statement. 

"Through the power of Microsoft Azure, Companies like cooler screens are meeting this important need by bringing immersive digital experiences to brick and motor stores".