Customer loyalty and marketing startup Reelo raises $1M from Silicon Valley-based angel investor

Reelo, an Ahmedabad-based customer loyalty and marketing startup, has raised $1 million in funding from Silicon Valley-based angel investor Gokul Rajaram. 

The investment aims to fuel Reelo's expansion plans, including ramping up hiring, extending its market reach both domestically and internationally, and boosting its artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, according to the startup.  

Prior to this, Rajaram invested in notable companies like Faire, Figma, and Airtable.

Enhancing the suite of marketing tools

Founded in 2017 by brothers Prit and Parin Sanghvi, Reelo is set to use this fresh capital to enhance its suite of marketing tools tailored for small—and medium-sized businesses.

These tools are integrated with point-of-sale (PoS) billing software, enabling businesses to gather critical customer data, automate marketing strategies, and introduce loyalty programs aimed at boosting customer retention.

Parin Sanghvi, CEO of Reelo, highlighted the shift in marketing strategies from acquisition to retention, particularly in the U.S., and expressed his vision to replicate this successful model in India and other markets.

“In India, everyone was just giving deals and discounts, and all these flashy discount apps and companies were making it unsustainable for small and mid-sized businesses. That’s how I decided to join hands with my brother with the idea of leveraging technology and data to empower businesses to grow,” he said.

What does Reelo do?

Reelo's platform offers a range of customer acquisition solutions, such as referral programs and smart QR codes, alongside its core loyalty programs.

The startup has established partnerships with several PoS providers, such as Petpooja, DotPe, and TMBill, which facilitate its integration into various business operations.

Some of its clients are notable brands such as Jumbo King, Jamie’s Italian, and Punjab Grill.

International expansion

With operations extending to nine countries across the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia and plans to enter the U.S. market, Reelo is poised for significant global expansion.

The startup aims to onboard over 17,000 businesses and engage with more than 16 million customers worldwide. 

“Reelo’s simple and easy-to-use product requires zero expertise and solves a key pain point faced by the ecosystem. I am thrilled to support them in their mission and look forward to helping them continue to serve businesses globally,” said Rajaram, a board member at companies such as Coinbase and Pinterest.