AI startup ViSenze bags regional partnership with Samsung

SINGAPORE-BASED startup ViSenze, which sells artificial intelligence (AI) technology to boost e-commerce, has bagged a partnership with Samsung Electronics for the use of its technology in Samsung smartphones sold in South-east Asia and Oceania.

ViSenze sells AI technology to consumer brands so that their shoppers can replace keyword searches for products with digital images, in effect driving shopping recommendations with image data.

With the technology, Samsung smartphone users in South-east Asia and Oceania will be able to use their phone cameras to connect real-life images or existing pictures to similar products available for purchase online. This will be done via Bixby, a built-in AI assistant developed by Samsung that works similarly to the iPhone's Siri.

ViSenze was founded in 2012 and now has offices in Singapore, China, the UK, the US, South Korea and Japan. It said that to date, its platform solutions have linked over 400 million products from over 800 merchants and retailers. Its customers include Rakuten, ASOS and Urban Outfitters.

On Tuesday, the company announced US$20 million in Series C funding. The funding round was co-led by venture capital firm Gobi Partners and venture investor Sonae IM.

ViSenze said the fresh capital will allow it to further invest in working with smartphone manufacturers, as well as with consumer and social communication applications.

Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Ventures also participated in the Series C round. SPH is the publisher of The Business Times.