Customer loyalty solutions startup Froogal raises $1 mn from angels

Froogal Innovations, a customer loyalty and engagement solutions provider, has raised $1 million in a seed round from a group of US-based angel investors. The identities of the investors were undisclosed. 

The Plano, Texas-registered company, which has operations in Hyderabad, will use the capital raised to expand into more Indian cities including Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and Gurugram, and further its product line. Partnering with global vendors is also on the cards, the company said in a statement. 

Founded by IIT Hyderabad alumni Jeevan Chowdhary and Harshit Harchani in 2017, Froogal aims to redefine customer loyalty programmes from just cash rewards to customizable rewards. The startup uses data-driven analytics and insights to provide automated, customized marketing campaigns to brick-and-mortar brands. It also leverages emerging technologies such as AI (artificial intelligence) and ML (machine learning) to empower companies with better customer engagement tools.  Some of its clients include Cream Stone, The Thickshake Factory, LOT, Big C and Pista House. 

Froogal claims to have developed an easy and interactive ecosystem around reward structures, allowing customers to seamlessly enquire about rewards and redeem them. It has three key offerings -- Froogal Ascend, Froogal Seamless, and Froogal Consumer App. Froogal Ascend is a customer loyalty management platform that enables experience tracking, data-driven analytics, marketing automation through SMS,  email and push notifications. It also includes automated social media promotions, mobile and referral marketing. 

Froogal Seamless enables an easy omnichannel adaptation, building an effective ecosystem with various sales channels across mobile and web. Froogal Consumer App is a single touch point for consumers to review and redeem all of their wallet rewards. 

“We are focused on addressing the pain points that hinder the growth of millions of brick-and-mortar businesses across the globe, ensuring their success. The idea behind the inception of Froogal was simple – we wanted to help businesses build long-term relationships with their customers at a time when brand loyalty is on the decline,” said 24-year old Chowdhary.

The company currently employs a little over 50 people