What Footprints AI does

Footprints AI is a Romanian-headquartered AI-powered retail media platform founded in 2017 that connects in-store shopper behavior to targeted advertising across omnichannel surfaces including in-store screens, audio, mobile apps, retailer websites, off-site programmatic, DOOH, and CTV. Its core technology ingests SKU-level purchase transactions from a network of 30 retail partners — including Carrefour, Profi (Ahold Delhaize), Auchan, Eurocash, SPAR, Altex, and (as of May 2026) SPAR International's 13,900+ store ecosystem — to build predictive audiences and deliver closed-loop measurement that ties ad exposure directly to verified purchases across 3 billion+ tracked transactions. The product portfolio comprises the Footprints AI Platform and Copilot (an AI assistant for campaign planning and optimization), the Retail Media Network Platform for retailer monetization, the Retail Media Campaign Planner for self-serve configuration, Audience Insights and Planning modules, Measurement and Analytics with closed-loop attribution, and nine ad format products spanning Sponsored Product, Display, Video, Audio, Lead, Social, DOOH, Connected TV, and Text ads.

Footprints AI monetizes through a CPM-based advertising model with four tiers (Basic €8, Advanced €12, Premium €16, Ultra €24), supplemented by managed-service engagements that include dedicated strategists and quarterly brand growth planning for enterprise advertisers, and self-serve platform subscriptions via the Campaign Planner. The go-to-market is hybrid: a direct enterprise field-sales motion targeting FMCG/CPG brands and major retailers, an event-driven motion anchored by the annual Retail Media Summit in Bucharest, and a product-led growth track for SMB and mid-market advertisers. Distribution combines the self-serve platform, 65 media agency partners, 30 retail partner networks, and a Microsoft Azure Marketplace listing for cloud-procured enterprise deals.

The company serves four primary customer segments: endemic FMCG/CPG brands (Coca-Cola, Heineken, PepsiCo, Nestlé, Mondelez, Danone, Jack Daniel's, Haribo, Mutti), non-endemic brands in banking, automotive, insurance, telecom, and entertainment (ING, BCR, Hyundai, Jaguar Land Rover), media agencies representing brand advertisers, and retailers monetizing store traffic through retail media networks. The company holds ISO 27001 and ISO 27701 certifications, is GDPR compliant, and won the IAB Europe MIXX Award 2025. Operating geographies span Central and Eastern Europe (Romania, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia) with expanding presence in Spain, Portugal, and Latin America.

Name

Footprints AI

Legal name

Footprints AI

Website

https://footprints-ai.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Footprints AI is a Romanian AI-powered retail media platform that connects in-store shopper purchases to targeted omnichannel advertising for 500+ brands, 65 agencies, and 30 retailers across CEE, with closed-loop measurement across 3 billion+ tracked purchases.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bucharest

HQ country

Romania

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. CPM-based Advertising (In-Store, On-Site, Off-Site): CPM (Cost Per Mille) based advertising across in-store digital screens, audio, mobile app, retailer websites, off-site programmatic, DOOH, and Connected TV. Four campaign tiers ranging from €8-24 CPM based on campaign objective and service level.
2. Managed Services: Full-service campaign management including media strategy, planning, setup, optimization, and dedicated strategist support for Premium and Ultra tier campaigns. Quarterly brand growth planning included.
3. Self-Service Platform: Self-serve platform access for advertisers to launch and optimize campaigns independently. Advertisers can set up audiences, formats, and budgets in minutes through the Retail Media Campaign Planner.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Footprints AI operates an AI-powered omnichannel retail media platform that connects real shopper purchase behavior to targeted advertising across in-store, on-site, and off-site channels (digital screens, audio, mobile apps, retailer sites, DOOH, CTV). The platform provides closed-loop measurement tying ad exposure to SKU-level sales across 3 billion+ tracked purchases, and serves both advertisers (FMCG/CPG brands, agencies) and retailers (Carrefour, Profi, Auchan, SPAR) with self-serve and managed service options.

Product overview

Footprints AI is a next-generation retail media and insights platform operating as a unified platform-plus-modules architecture. The core Footprints AI Platform provides omnichannel retail media activation across in-store, on-site, and off-site channels, powered by AI that connects real shopper purchases to advertising. The platform integrates multiple product modules including the Retail Media Network Platform for retailers to monetize their footprint, the Retail Media Campaign Planner for self-service campaign configuration, Audience Insights and Planning for behavioral targeting, and Measurement and Analytics for closed-loop attribution. The product portfolio includes nine distinct ad format products (Sponsored Product Ads, Display Ads, Video Ads, Audio Ads, Lead Ads, Social Ads, DOOH Ads, Connected TV Ads, and Text Ads) and supplementary services including Managed Services for full-service campaign management, Retail Media Academy for industry education, and the Footprints AI Copilot for AI-assisted campaign planning. The platform serves 500+ brands, operates across 30 retail partners, and reaches 50M+ shoppers with 3B+ purchases tracked.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Footprints AI Platform Core AI-powered omnichannel retail media platform that enables advertisers to run targeted campaigns across in-store digital screens, audio, mobile apps, retailer websites, off-site programmatic, DOOH, and CTV, with closed-loop sales attribution.
• Footprints AI Copilot AI assistant that enables advertisers to plan campaigns, select audiences and channels, and access real-time retail insights through natural language queries for campaign strategy and performance analysis.
• Retail Media Campaign Planner Self-service campaign configuration tool that allows advertisers to set up audiences, formats, budgets, and KPIs and launch retail media campaigns in minutes without requiring a sales engagement.
• Managed Services End-to-end retail media campaign management service by Footprints AI experts, including media strategy, planning, setup, optimization, dedicated strategist support, and quarterly brand growth planning for Premium and Ultra tier clients.
• Retail Media Academy Certification program providing education on omnichannel retail media fundamentals, offered to brands, agencies, and retailers, with 500+ professionals already certified.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5x to 8x ROAS vs 2x industry average for display advertising
• +11 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability10 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• SPAR InternationalflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2025Strategic partnership making Footprints AI the preferred supplier for Retail Media Services across the SPAR International ecosystem spanning 13,900+ stores across dozens of countries. Focus areas include Retail Media, Shopper Insights, and AI-powered retail monetization. Partnership announced at SPAR's 69th International Congress in Belfast where co-founders Dan Marc and Paul Gheorghiu met with global retail decision-makers.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationMicrosoft Solutions Partner certification. Platform available on Microsoft Azure Marketplace for enterprise cloud deployment. Integration with Microsoft ecosystem for enterprise customers.
• DentsucoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStrategic partnership with Dentsu for retail media campaign execution and measurement. Collaboration on campaigns for Heineken brands including Amstel and Neumarkt beer, combining Dentsu's media expertise with Footprints AI's retail data and measurement capabilities.
• Profi (Ahold Delhaize)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunched Romania's largest retail media network with 1,600+ Profi stores. Partnership has scaled retail media revenue 20x in under 3 months. Profi was first major Romanian retailer to establish full in-store retail media network with closed-loop measurement.
• INGKA (IKEA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with INGKA, the real estate company operating shopping centers of IKEA, focused on driving increased efficiency and profitability through AI-powered retail media for shopping center tenants and marketers.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Criteo: Global commerce media platform with a large Retail Media offering (Criteo Retail Media) powering on-site sponsored product ads and off-site retargeting for retailers and brands worldwide. Direct comparable to Footprints AI in retail media technology, but with substantially larger scale, R&D budget, and global retailer footprint.
• Walmart Connect: Walmart's owned retail media network offering on-site sponsored products, off-site display, and in-store advertising to CPG advertisers at massive US scale. Comparable in offering closed-loop measurement and omnichannel retail media, but with exclusive data advantage inside Walmart's ecosystem that Footprints AI lacks.
• Carrefour Links: Carrefour's owned retail media platform operating across Carrefour's European store network, directly comparable to the retailer-side offering Footprints AI provides to Carrefour Romania. Represents both a partnership counterparty and a competitive retailer-owned alternative.
• Tesco Media and Insight: Tesco's retail media platform offering branded media, insights, and programmatic capabilities across Tesco's UK store and online estate. Comparable to Footprints AI's retailer-monetization module, illustrating the retailer-owned media network model that Footprints AI partners with or competes against.
• Kroger Precision Marketing: Kroger's owned retail media network leveraging its loyalty data for CPG advertising across on-site, off-site, and in-store. Highly comparable in targeting and closed-loop measurement methodology, though exclusive to Kroger's US footprint versus Footprints AI's CEE-led international play.
• Instacart Ads: Retail media platform providing sponsored product listings and display advertising across Instacart's grocery marketplace, with extensive CPG advertiser relationships. Comparable to Footprints AI's sponsored product ad and CPG retailer-media offering, particularly via CPG partnerships and closed-loop measurement.
• Publicis Commerce (Epsilon/Publicis Media): Publicis-owned commerce media capabilities (including CitrusAd acquisition and Epsilon data) offering end-to-end retail media buying, measurement, and agency execution for global advertisers. Comparable as a managed services and measurement competitor, particularly given Footprints AI's Dentsu partnership model.

Direct peers

• CitrusAd: Retail media technology provider (acquired by Publicis) specializing in sponsored product ads and on-site monetization for grocers and large retailers. Highly comparable to Footprints AI's sponsored product ad and retailer-monetization capabilities, serving many of the same advertiser and retailer segments.
• Quotient Technology (now Neustar): Promotional and retail media platform connecting CPG advertisers with retailer audiences via digital coupons and targeted media (now under Neustar/transUnion). Comparable in serving CPG advertisers with measurable retail-tied media, though Footprints AI differentiates via broader omnichannel and in-store.

Emerging players

• Aisle Labs: Retail media technology provider focused on grocery and CPG advertisers with sponsored product, display, and shopper intelligence capabilities. Comparable emerging peer with similar retailer-monetization and CPG-advertiser focus, though with a different geographic emphasis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/footprints-ai
• Xx.com/footprintsfr

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Footprints AI