In-store Audio Platform Qsic Secures $25M in Funding

Qsic Secures $25M to Expand AI-Powered In-Store Audio Network

The Big Investment:

Qsic, an AI-powered in-store audio platform, has raised $25 million in Series B funding led by investment firm Hedosophia. This funding will accelerate its retail expansion, product development, and sales team growth.

Why It Matters:

• Powers in-store audio & retail media networks (RMNs) for brands like 7-Eleven & McDonald’s
• Reaches over 100 million shoppers per month
• Deploying 70,000+ speakers across North America over the next year
• 85% of shopping still happens in-store, but in-store RMNs face high costs & measurement challenges

Innovative AI-Powered Retail Media

Qsic’s proprietary generative AI model, “Lucy,” dynamically creates and localizes custom in-store audio ads based on retailer data, pricing, inventory, and even weather.

Other tech features include:

• Volume auto-adjustments based on ambient noise
• Timestamps for ad validation & compliance
• Real-time personalized audio content

7-Eleven’s Gulp Radio Partnership

Qsic recently inked a deal with 7-Eleven to launch Gulp Radio across 5,000 stores by the end of 2024, with a goal of reaching 12,000 locations by 2025 (including Speedway & Stripes stores).

Once fully deployed, Gulp Radio will become one of North America’s largest in-store commercial radio networks, targeting 7-Eleven’s 13 million daily shoppers.

Expanding Across Retail Sectors

Qsic’s clients span industries including:

• Fuel & Convenience (7-Eleven)
• Grocery
• Liquor
• Hospitality
• Fashion & Specialty Retail

This funding positions Qsic as a major player in in-store retail media, helping brands engage shoppers at the point of purchase with scalable, AI-driven audio advertising solutions.