Freedom Shopping is a startup with a point-of sale solution aimed at enabling RFID technology to be deployed universally around the world. The core of their solution is a kiosk like system which will sit on isles in retail stores, supermarkets etc. Users are simply able to scan products quickly and go through checkout lines without any human intervention. Several supermarket chains have adopted this self check out style in Europe, however its poised to take off in America in a big way soon . Every retail store in the US from Walgreens, to Safeway to Best Buy needs one of these applications to improve the customer experience and efficiently track inventory and streamline their costs.
Freedom Shopping may be one of the first breakthrough startups for widespread adoption of RFID-enabled retail with a light application that operates on the edge of existing point of sale (POS) terminals. Coupled with pre-packaged hardware for reading RFID tags and RFID-reading security gates, an existing store can outfitted and operational in a day.
The company is 100% on the Microsoft stack and have built the product on Microsoft’s latest technologies including:
- BizTalk RFID platform
- Windows mobile/CE 5 & 6
- Windows XP & Vista
- Silverlight
- Microsoft SQL 2000/2005 & Management Studio/Tools
- MS Office
- MS Exchange Server
- Windows Server platform
- .Net Compact Framework 2.0
- .Net framework 2.0 & 3.0
- Visual Studio 6.0,2005, Orcas RC/Beta
Freedom Shopping’s application began operating in stores in 2005 and has over a million RFID transactions to date. The company also has seven pending patents covering RFID check out and related technologies. I will be working with the management team over the next few months to make sure they get the necessary technology and business development support from Microsoft as they expand the company and get more market traction. Check them out at http://www.freedomshopping.com
Company Facts
Location – North Carolina and Japan
Stage – Established product/market development
Funding – Private investors. Raising first institutional round
Team – Rob Simmons, CEO; Mike Daily, President; Kevin Kent, VP, Business Development
