Distil.ai has successfully secured a £350,000 equity investment from the British Business Bank's South West Investment Fund, via appointed Fund Manager The FSE Group. The funding is part of a £1m round that also includes investment from Waterspring Ventures.
Distil.ai is an AI-driven data and analytics platform that has carved a niche in transforming raw data into actionable business intelligence, with a particular focus on the restaurant and hospitality sectors.
Its scalable platform leverages AI to deliver powerful data insights, significantly boosting returns through operations, marketing effectiveness, and customer relationship management. The Exeter-based company collaborates with OpenTable, the world’s largest restaurant booking platform, as well as other platforms, to unlock operational efficiencies.
The funding will fuel Distil’s ambitious growth plans, enhancing its team and advancing platform development, including the addition of multi-language capabilities, ahead of a planned Series A funding round.
Distil’s competitive advantage lies in its ability to integrate multiple data sources, resolve fragments of customer data into usable single customer profiles, and offer self-service analytics, reducing the need for traditional data analysts. The platform is already trusted by top-tier customers such as Hawksmoor, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, The Devonshire Group, Aqua Restaurants, and Crowdcube. Clients have reported significant improvements, including a 200%+ uplift in sales of a single product in one case and 75% business growth in another.
This funding is allowing us to invest in key activities to accelerate our growth trajectory and solidify our position in the market. Planned developments mean we can continue to provide customers with unparalleled insights at exceptional value. We are excited to partner with The FSE Group and South West Investment Fund as we continue to expand our capabilities and enhance our platform.
Gerry McNicol, Founder & CEO
With its scalable technology and strong foothold in the restaurant sector, Distil.ai is a compelling investment opportunity. The company's unique access to OpenTable data, along with its credible management team, make it an exciting proposition. Distil is well-positioned to achieve significant growth and we are delighted to be supporting them on this journey.
Meg Salt, Investor at The FSE Group
Distil.ai is a great example of how data-driven innovation is thriving in the South West. By harnessing AI to unlock new value in hospitality and other sectors, the business is helping customers harness their data to drive efficiency and growth. We look forward to seeing how support from the South West Investment Fund accelerates Distil's next stage of development.
Paul Jones, Investor at British Business Bank
We are thrilled to announce our investment in Distil. With a highly experienced team, they have developed an innovative platform to help restaurant chains leverage data science to streamline and automate complex, manual operational processes. Now, with exclusive access to OpenTable's data, Distil is poised for significant growth, and we look forward to supporting them in seizing this exciting opportunity.
Sam Huxtable, Managing Partner at Waterspring Ventures
