After raising 100K EUR investment from Sweden’s largest accelerator “Antler”, Lithuanian startup “Traxlo” has opened its first staffless micro-store in Vilnius. The “Gott 2 Go” branded shop is managed remotely via mobile app and does not have a single permanent employee, with gig workers delivering goods to shop and taking care of all the operations. It is the first of its kind in Europe and is a unique collaboration of two Lithuanian and Swedish startups.
The first “Gott 2 Go” store, opened nearby VILNIUS TECH university, is a joint project of two Lithuanian and Swedish startups: Lithuanian startup “Traxlo” developed a gig working mobile app “Tasku.app” that takes care of all the operations in the shop.
Meanwhile, Swedish startup “HonestBox” has developed a system for managing purchases, payments and customers inside the shop. The Swedish company already has 150 self-service outlets in the home market. In the future they will be serviced by “Traxlo” software.
“Traxlo” founders Paul Vezelis and Almantas Zemblys believe they are building the future of retail, as this kind of remotely operated stores will transform the retail sector similarly as “Uber” disrupted the taxi market or “Airbnb” changed the accommodation sector.
“Imagine small convenient shops around the town – near your home, office, university or gym – where you can buy essential groceries 24/7. All you have to do is download the new app. It enables you to enter the shop, select and pay for the goods. Everything is convenient, safe and fast,” says Paul Vezelis, “Traxlo” CEO.
And that’s only half the innovation. The “Tasku.app” allows any person to become a gig worker for just one task in a shop – to place goods on the shelves, check the prices, assess the condition of specific shelves, etc. “Tasku.app” allows you to track vacant jobs not only in these small stores, but also in other retail locations participating in the platform.
“Last year we started developing our solution while participating in the Swedish startup accelerator “Antler” program. It gave us a much needed boost to build a smart solution for the traditional retail sector. Sweden is our primary market today, as the gig economy is developing particularly fast there, with more and more local businesses employing gig workers.
Together with the Swedish “HonestBox” we will be opening 100% staffless stores with integrated gig work solutions around the country very soon, already in 2022. We will enable local communities to make some real money with various small jobs like shelf supervision, goods deliveries and so on”, – says “Traxlo” founder.
Collaboration with VILNIUS TECH
“Traxlo” and “HonestBox” are testing various innovations in close collaboration with VILNIUS TECH – a leading technology university in the country.
“VILNIUS TECH is open to new ideas, young entrepreneurs and new technological innovations. We act as a hub of know-how and competencies and provide opportunities for local startups to develop and test technologies at our university and involve university students in the development of these innovations”, – says Adas Meškėnas, Vice-Rector for Strategic Partnerships, VILNIUS TECH.
According to “Traxlo”, there will be many more innovations integrated in the platform, beneficial both for retailers and consumers. “Gott 2 Go” digital platform will allow real time monitoring of changes in the product range, forming tasks for gig workers, controlling customer traffic, monitoring payments in real time, etc.
In order to speed up the finalization of the staffless store platform for the Swedish market, “Traxlo” has been actively seeking new capital and is already finalising negotiations with new Lithuanian and Swedish investors.
“We are full of ideas and our collaboration with VILNIUS TECH makes us much stronger internationally. Lithuania is a very good sandbox for us, but the real growth and scaling of our service is planned for Sweden. The new investment will enable us to grow fast in Sweden and Scandinavia already in 2022”, – says Paul Vezelis, CEO of “Traxlo”.
