What Athena Retail does

Athena Retail is an Italian consultancy and system integrator specializing in Space and Category Management for retailers and consumer packaged goods manufacturers. Founded in 2000 in Bologna (originally as gCS, rebranded in 2011), the company implements and supports the RELEX Solutions platform — covering Space Planning, Space Automation, Floor Planning, and On-The-Go publishing — helping clients automate planogram creation, optimize assortment, and align shelf layouts with demand forecasts. The firm operates three service lines: Software Implementation (full lifecycle RELEX deployment including post-go-live continuous service), AthenaLab (outsourced strategic and tactical Category Management consulting for manufacturers and distributors), and Education (customized training on RELEX modules).

Athena Retail was acquired by RELEX Solutions in May 2022, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary while retaining operational independence. With 11–50 employees and 50+ enterprise customers across Europe (Italy, Estonia), the Middle East, and Latin America, the company derives revenue from project-based professional services engagements sold via direct enterprise field sales. Customers include grocery retailers (Migross SpA, Prisma Peremarket, Tatò Paride, AP Commerciale / Sole 365, a Nordic grocery retailer), pharmacy networks (FederFARMA.CO covering 40% of the Italian pharmaceutical distribution market), and fashion retail (StellaZeta, 50+ Italian stores). The firm is now led by CEO Michele Scalas following a January 2025 succession from founder Paolo Malucelli.

Name

Athena Retail

Legal name

Athena Retail Surl

Website

https://athenaretail.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Athena Retail is a Bologna-based consulting and system integration firm that implements and supports the RELEX Solutions platform for Space and Category Management, serving 50+ retailers and CPG manufacturers across Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Space Planning and Category Management Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Enterprise Architecture & IT Operating Model (BPAHAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

ERP Managed Services & AMS (Application Management) (BPAEAGAB), Enterprise Service Management (ESM) Platforms (HDAEALAB)

Keywords

• Space management software
• Category management consulting
• Planogram automation services
• Retail space planning
• Assortment optimization consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Bologna

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Software Implementation Services: Professional services for implementing RELEX space and assortment planning solutions, covering all roles from Business to Technical, from design to execution, including Continuous Service post-vendita
2. Strategic Consulting (AthenaLab): Strategic and tactical consulting services for retailers and manufacturers covering Category Management processes, assortment optimization, and floor planning analysis
3. Education and Training: Standard or customized training courses for Business users on RELEX Category Management solutions, conducted onsite or remotely

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Athena Retail is a consulting and software implementation partner that deploys the RELEX Solutions unified retail planning platform (Space Planning, Space Automation, Floor Planning, On-The-Go) for retailers and CPG manufacturers. The company combines RELEX platform implementation, strategic Category Management consulting (AthenaLab), and customized business-user training (Education) to help clients optimize assortment planning, planogram execution, and store space management.

Product overview

Athena Retail is a consulting and implementation partner specializing in Space & Category Management, operating as part of the RELEX Solutions Group since 2022. The company implements and supports RELEX's unified retail planning platform, which consists of four integrated modules: RELEX Space Planning (shelf/planogram design with drag-and-drop functionality and 3D visualization), RELEX Space Automation (automated planogram generation using ML-based demand forecasting), RELEX On-The-Go (planogram publishing and headquarters-to-store collaboration), and RELEX Floor Planning (store layout and category management). Beyond software implementation, Athena Retail provides Athenalab strategic consulting services and Education training programs, all focused on helping retailers and CPG manufacturers optimize assortment planning, planogram execution, and store space management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AthenaLab: Strategic and tactical consulting service for Producers and Distributors looking to acquire Category Management skills and/or outsource planning processes.
• Education

Products and services

• RELEX Space Planning
• RELEX Space Automation
• RELEX On-The-Go
• RELEX Floor Planning
• Software Implementation Services
• AthenaLab Consulting
• Education and Training

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to +3% increased sales through optimized facing references according to local demand
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• RELEX SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 May 2022RELEX Solutions acquired Athena Retail in May 2022, building upon its position as a trusted provider of unified retail planning solutions. Athena Retail operates as a fully owned company within the RELEX Solutions group while continuing to serve existing customers independently. The acquisition reflects RELEX's commitment to offering best-in-class space planning solutions and amplifies Athena's ability to deliver space and category management expertise to retailers and CPG companies globally. RELEX's €5B valuation and €500M funding round (led by Blackstone Growth) demonstrate significant financial backing supporting the partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• AFS Technologies: Retail merchandising, space planning, and category management software vendor serving grocery and hardlines retailers. Directly comparable to Athena's RELEX space planning implementation focus.
• ClearDemand: AI-based retail pricing, assortment, and category management platform for grocers. Comparable to Athena's category management and assortment optimization focus, though Athena is an implementation partner while ClearDemand is a platform.

Broad incumbents

• RELEX Solutions: Athena's parent company and the platform vendor whose software Athena implements. RELEX is a €5B-valuation unified retail planning platform covering supply chain, forecasting, replenishment, pricing, and space planning—directly comparable as the underlying technology Athena specializes in.
• Blue Yonder (formerly JDA Software): Long-established retail planning platform vendor with category management, space planning, and planogram solutions. Competes with RELEX at the platform layer; Athena-style implementation partners serve Blue Yonder's space management deployments.
• NielsenIQ Spaceman: Industry-standard planogram automation and space management solution used by CPG manufacturers and retailers globally. The NielsenIQ platform competes with RELEX Space Automation that Athena implements.
• Oracle Retail: Comprehensive retail planning suite including merchandising, category management, and space planning. Athena competes against Oracle-led implementations when grocery retailers evaluate space planning platforms.
• SAP (Retail/merchandise planning): SAP's retail merchandise planning suite (including CAR and own-brand space management) is implemented by consultancies similar to Athena, competing for grocery retailer category management modernization deals.

Direct peers

• ToolsGroup: Retail and supply chain planning vendor with category management and assortment optimization capabilities. Comparable to Athena's RELEX-based space and assortment planning focus.
• Symphony RetailAI: Provides AI-driven retail category management, space planning, and personalized promotions solutions for grocery and hardlines retailers. Directly comparable to Athena's focus on space/category management for grocery retail.

Others

• Relex Solutions Implementation Partners (Accenture, Capgemini): Global system integrators that increasingly partner with RELEX for tier-1 retail transformations. Compete with Athena for the highest-value RELEX implementation deals and represent structural competitive pressure on Athena's mid-market positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/athenaretail
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOodRSCd2-hLK6Gcg1lROxg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/athena-retail-srl
• Instagraminstagram.com/athenaretail_
• Facebookfacebook.com/athenaretailconsultingcategory

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Athena Retail