Purple (technology company)

Purple is a UK-based technology firm.[1][2][3] The company offers a free WiFi platform through which businesses can surveil[4] their customer's shopping patterns and habits, and communicate with these clients through targeted messaging.[5][6]

Purple
TypePrivate
IndustryBusiness analysis, Software
Founded2012
FounderGavin Wheeldon
HeadquartersManchester, UK
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Gavin Wheeldon(CEO)
ServicesBusiness analytics
Websitepurple.ai

Purple introduced social media logins in the WiFi login process, where a customer has to like or follow or promote the social media page of the retail business to get the access of WiFi and in the process precious customer data also gets captured on its web portal. The captured data by Purple's integrated WiFi and location analysis solution can be used by the retail businesses for customer relationship management.[7]

History

Purple was founded in 2012 by Gavin Wheeldon.[8][9] The company was incorporated in 2012 as 'Purple WiFi' to provide custom WiFi solutions for the retail businesses.[10]

Purple remained bootstrapped until 2015, before receiving its first round venture funding of $5 million from Sir Terry Leahy, CEO of Tesco,[11] Bob Willett, Iain MacDonald and Bill Currie from the William Currie Group and Juno Capital, a leading alternative asset manager.[12] The initial funding helped the company in building the technology and establishing roots in the international market. Purple was used by enterprises in events, leisure, hospitality, tourism, education, and retail industries.[13][14] Purple signed a distributor agreement with Purdicom, Ingram Micro, e92plus, Minerva, Wood Communications, Alternetivo, Chuanhow Technology Ltd, SonicNet, Wavelink, Smart Network Distribution, Baltic Premier Partners, WAV Inc, MICRO-LINK, C-MI Labs, Instillery Group and others.[15][16] The software started out as an analytics ad measurement tool, and expanded to a whole suite.[17]

The company expanded globally by partnering with major companies as its resellers in Australia,[18] US,[19] New Zealand, India,[20] UK and other countries.[21] In January 2016, the company rebranded its name to Purple.[22]

Privacy concerns

Some writers have expressed concern regarding the privacy aspects of exchanging of personal data for free WiFi,[4] and of retailers tracking customers within their stores via WiFi.[23]

Awards and recognition
  • Best new opportunity at the Synaxon UK 2014 Awards.[24]
  • Northern Tech Awards 2014 Rising Star[25]
  • Named as finalists in the Digital Entrepreneur Awards in the Technological Advancement category for Technical Innovation within the Public Sector[26]
  • Named as an "Emerging Vendor" by CRN[27]
  • Named a Top 20 Rising Star at Northern Tech Awards[28]
  • Retail Innovation of the Year 2015 at the Retail Systems awards[29]

Competition

The top competitors in Purple 's competitive set are Aislelabs, Queentessence, Cloud4Wi, RaGaPa, KodaCloud, Turnstyle Solutions, Eleven Wireless, Zenreach, Skyfii, GlobalReach, i2e1, Benu Networks, Presence Orb and UCOPIA. [30] Recently with the interest from Google and Facebook increasing in the Wi-Fi space, investor interest has increased. [31]

See also

References
  1. "What defines a modern, secure, social WiFi network?". Techradar. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  2. Fiona Briggs (17 January 2014). "Why it works: Purple WiFi on how to use WiFi effectively to build profit in-store". Retail Times. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  3. Ben Sillitoe (23 February 2015). "Social Wi-Fi' launched in Schuh stores". Essential Retail. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  4. Henschen, Doug. "Mining WiFi Data: Retail Privacy Pitfalls". Information Week. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  5. Luke Nicholls (21 November 2013). "Purple Wi-Fi offers free hotspot solution for hospitality businesses". BigHospitality. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  6. GILLIAN WEST (13 February 2014). "Purple Wi-Fi introduces Presence Analytics and location-based services for consumer insights and targeted marketing opportunities". The Drum. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  7. Geoff White (25 March 2014). "Inside the shopping centre that tracks your every move". Channel4 News. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  8. "Purple WiFi allows companies to grow through social media endorsements". ManchesterEvening News. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  9. "Big-name investors put £3.3m into firm". Oldham Evening Chronicle. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  10. Anh Nguyen (2 Mar 2015). "Sir Terry Leahy: Wifi provides retailers with crucial geolocation data". Tech World. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  11. Sam Shead (15 January 2015). "Ex-Tesco CEO Sir Terry Leahy and others fuel Purple WiFi's global expansion with £3.3m". Techworld. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  12. Ingrid Lunden (14 January 2015). "UK's Purple WiFi Raises $5M To Push Its Free Social WiFi Service Abroad". TechCrunch. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  13. Kevin Fitchard (14 January 2015). "UK hotspot startup Purple WiFi raises $5M". Gigaom. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  14. Fiona Briggs (15 January 2015). "Purple WiFi raises $5m investment for rapid international expansion". Retail Times. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  15. "Smarter WiFi for Kiwi businesses". NZ Business. 2 October 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  16. Purple WiFi lands in A/NZ (14 April 2015). "Purple WiFi lands in A/NZ". arnnet.com. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  17. "Why we need to address the UK's digital skills shortage right now". PCR. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  18. Jasmine O'Donoghue (5 May 2014). "Purple WiFi launches in Australia". Hospitality Magazine. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  19. "Purple WiFi Expands to the US". MrWeb Ltd. 20 March 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  20. "Purple WiFi teams up with Trend Vision in India". Telecompaper. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  21. Shelina Begum (19 August 2014). "Purple WiFi looks to US and Asia for global expansion". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  22. unknown (19 January 2016). "Purple WiFi Rebrands as Purple". Comms Business. Retrieved 25 November 2016.
  23. Gibbs, Samuel. "Shops can track you via your smartphone, privacy watchdog warns". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  24. Dominic Sacco (19 June 2014). "Synaxon UK 2014 Awards winners revealed". PCR. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  25. "ANNUAL RISING STARS". Northern Tech Awards. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  26. "2015 Finalists". Digital Entrepreneur Awards. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  27. "2015 Emerging Vendors". The channel Co. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  28. "NORTHERN TECH AWARDS WINNERS REVEALED". Insider Media Limited. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  29. "Hall of fame 2015". retail-systems.com. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  30. "Purple WiFi Competitors, Revenue and Employees - Owler Company Profile". Owler. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
  31. "Facebook begins selling its low-cost WiFi program in India". Engadget. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
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