What SMARTIFY does

Smartify is a London-based Community Interest Company founded in 2016 that sells a modular digital visitor engagement platform to museums, galleries, and cultural heritage destinations. The platform combines white-label progressive web apps, a drag-and-drop content management system with analytics, a WebXR-based augmented and virtual reality module, LOOK3 purpose-built Android devices, in-house content production services, and marketing/CRM tools with marketplace integration. AI capabilities are positioned as a signature differentiator: object recognition that works through glass and in low light, AI-driven personalisation that builds adaptive visitor routes, translations across more than 30 languages, and text-to-speech for accessible audio. The platform is delivered via both bring-your-own-device (web app) and dedicated hardware, and integrates with cultural-sector systems including Tessitura, Spektrix, Shopify, Magento, Google Analytics, and Customer.io.

The business operates on a tiered SaaS subscription model (£0 free, £1,800 Starter, £3,500 Branded, £9,500 Premium, with bespoke enterprise tiers above), supplemented by revenue from hardware sales/rentals (LOOK3), professional content production services, marketplace commissions via shop integrations, and premium content/transaction fees. Go-to-market is hybrid: a direct enterprise sales motion targeting major institutions (Louvre, Smithsonian, National Gallery London, Historic Royal Palaces, Princeton, V&A, Acropolis Museum, Tower Bridge, Natural History Museum) coexists with a product-led growth funnel via the March 2026 free tier aimed at small and medium venues. The company reports 1,200+ customer organisations across at least nine countries and approximately 42 million visitors supported annually, with compliance certifications including ISO 27001, Cyber Essentials, GDPR, and PCI DSS.

The entity is founder-led (Thanos Kokkiniotis as CEO and co-founder), with a team described as cultural-sector professionals, technologists, and storytellers. Smartify has raised approximately $3.5M cumulatively across multiple small rounds (most recently ~$1.87M in January 2025 led by Metavallon VC) and operates as a privately held social-purpose vehicle incorporated as a CIC in the United Kingdom.

Name

SMARTIFY

Legal name

SMARTIFY CIC

Website

https://smartify.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Smartify provides a modular SaaS platform combining AI-powered object recognition, personalisation, and CMS tools to help museums, galleries, and heritage destinations deliver digital visitor experiences across web, mobile, and dedicated hardware.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Visitor Engagement Platform

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Smart Cities & Urban Innovation Programs (Digital Planning, Civic Tech for Cities) (BPAIANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Smart Building Software Platforms (IWMS/CAFM Integration, Digital Twin, Command Center) (BPABAGAG)

Keywords

• Digital visitor guides
• Museum engagement software
• Cultural institution platform
• Audio tour solutions
• Art interpretation technology

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. SaaS Subscription Plans: Tiered annual subscription model with plans ranging from free tier to £9,500/year for unlimited access. Revenue from recurring subscriptions with clear upgrade paths.
2. Hardware Device Sales & Rental: LOOK3 devices and accessories sold or rented to cultural institutions requiring dedicated hardware options alongside BYOD.
3. Content Production Services: In-house team provides audio guide production, video production, immersive soundscapes, and accessible content (sign language tours, audio descriptions).
4. Smartify Marketplace / Shop: Extends museum retail beyond gallery walls. Connects products to visitors during tours, on object pages, and in post-visit emails. Syncs with Shopify, Magento via APIs.
5. Premium/Paid Content: Premium audio tours and content sold as add-ons (e.g., £5 digital guide for Grimsthorpe Castle). In-app notifications drive upsells for memberships and donations.
6. Custom Development & Integrations: Bespoke plans include custom integrations with institutional systems (Shop, CRM, ticketing), 360° virtual tours, and Web XR support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Smartify is a modular digital visitor engagement platform for museums, galleries and cultural destinations. It provides white-label web and mobile apps for digital visitor guides, a content management system with analytics, AI-powered personalisation and object recognition, AR/VR experiences, hardware devices, and content production services for the cultural sector. The platform supports BYOD and dedicated device deployments and is used by over 1,200 cultural organisations to deliver audio tours, accessibility features, and revenue-generating digital experiences.

Product overview

Smartify is a modular digital visitor engagement platform for museums, galleries and cultural destinations. The platform comprises a unified ecosystem of software products including Web & Mobile Apps (white-label PWAs for digital visitor guides), CMS (drag-and-drop content management and analytics), LOOK3 Hardware Devices (attractions-grade Android devices), Content Production services, AR & VR Experiences (WebXR-based immersive content), and Marketing & CRM Tools. These core products are complemented by solution modules for AI Personalisation (object recognition, AI translations, text-to-speech), Visitor Connection (messaging, surveys, post-visit follow-ups), Analytics & Performance Tracking, and Revenue Growth. The platform serves 1200+ cultural organisations and supports over 42 million visitors annually, offering both BYOD (bring-your-own-device) and hardware device deployment options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Web & Mobile Apps White-label digital visitor guides delivered as progressive web apps (PWAs) for museums, galleries and cultural destinations. Works across mobile phones, tablets, AV devices and dedicated hardware via BYOD or device-based deployments, featuring object recognition, audio guides, wayfinding, personalisation, accessibility, and embedded interactives.
• CMS (Content Management & Analytics) Drag-and-drop content management system built for cultural organisations. Manages tours, objects, media, languages and accessibility settings from a single dashboard, with real-time analytics, audience insights, dynamic QR code generator, and integrations with ticketing and collection management systems.
• LOOK3 Hardware Device Attractions-grade Android device purpose-built for cultural venues, offering robust design, bright display, extended battery life, and built-in content triggering via beacons. Delivers the same features as the web app with central device management and real-time content updates.
• Content Production In-house content creation services including audio guides, video production, immersive soundscapes, sign language tours, and audio descriptions for museums and cultural institutions.
• AR & VR Experiences WebXR-based augmented and virtual reality experiences delivered directly in the browser without downloads or headsets. Includes AR animations, 360-degree experiences, VR immersive content, and 3D model viewers.
• Marketing & CRM Tools Audience growth and CRM tools including in-app messaging, post-visit emails, surveys, audience segmentation, membership management, donation prompts, and Smartify Marketplace for retail integration.
• Smartify Marketplace / Shop Integration Marketplace that connects museum retail products to visitors during tours, on object pages, and in post-visit emails. Syncs with Shopify and Magento e-commerce platforms for seamless product presentation, pricing, and shipping.
• AI Personalisation Suite Suite of AI-powered features including personalisation engine for custom tours, object recognition for instant identification, AI translations to 35+ languages, and text-to-speech for audio content generation.
• Analytics & Performance Tracking Real-time insights into visitor engagement with detailed analytics and demographic data, dashboard for content management, A/B testing capabilities, and unified mobile device management (MDM) for fleet monitoring.
• Timed Images Feature Feature where visuals automatically update in sync with audio narration, ensuring visitors focus on relevant details at the right moment. Designed for accessibility and enhanced visitor engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42 million+ visitors served annually across partner institutions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability10 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Basil & Elise Goulandris FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted Smartify CEO Thanos Kokkiniotis at the Panathēnea Festival panel on future of cultural experiences. Part of strategic thought leadership engagement with cultural sector leaders.
• Metavallon VCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organiser of Panathēnea Festival where Smartify CEO chaired panel on cultural sector future. Strategic engagement in cultural innovation ecosystem.
• V&AcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKati Price from V&A participated in Smartify-chaired panel at Panathēnea Festival discussing future of cultural experiences. Represents deep engagement with leading cultural institution.
• Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElly Andrianopoulou from SNFCC participated in Smartify-chaired panel. SNFCC conducted research on what people need as they live longer, with connection identified as top priority.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• GuideID: Amsterdam-based provider of digital audio guides and visitor engagement solutions for museums and attractions. Direct competitor focused on cultural sector BYOD and hardware guide deployment.
• Bloomberg Connects: Bloomberg Philanthropies' free app providing digital guides to museums and cultural institutions. Direct competitor offering BYOD mobile guides with similar audience and content-discoverability features, backed by significantly greater financial resources.
• Cuseum: Boston-based digital engagement platform for museums offering interactive mobile guides, AR experiences, and visitor analytics. Closely comparable product suite and target customer base of cultural institutions.
• Stqry (now Stqry): New Zealand-headquartered storytelling and visitor engagement app for museums, galleries, and walking tours. Directly comparable as a SaaS platform delivering audio tours, object recognition, and visitor analytics to cultural venues.
• izi.TRAVEL: Amsterdam-based platform offering audio tours and storytelling tools for museums, cities, and heritage sites. Directly competes in cultural visitor engagement with comparable BYOD mobile guides and CMS tooling.

Broad incumbents

• Acoustiguide: Long-established global provider of audio guide hardware and content services for museums and heritage sites. Incumbent with broader geographic reach and longer heritage, but legacy hardware focus versus Smartify's PWA-native model.
• Antenna International: Global interpretation and digital engagement provider for museums, attractions, and cultural destinations. Overlaps with Smartify in content production and visitor interpretation but operates a broader portfolio including hardware guides.
• Google Arts & Culture: Google's cultural heritage platform offering free digital guides, AR features, and high-resolution collection access. Incumbent with effectively unlimited resources and global reach, competing at the consumer-facing discovery layer.

Emerging players

• Curatours: Digital storytelling and visitor guide platform for cultural institutions with focus on bespoke curated tours. Comparable as an emerging SaaS player but typically serves smaller institutional rosters than Smartify.

Others

• Smartify app (consumer-facing product): Listed for completeness as Smartify's own consumer-facing mobile app offering public access to museum content. Not a peer in the B2B SaaS sense, but represents the consumer surface through which visitors encounter the Smartify platform.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_smartify
• Facebookfacebook.com/smartifyorg

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds7 records

Investors8 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 SMARTIFY