Xpand, a retail technology startup creating autonomous, AI-powered retail stores, has raised $6 million in a funding round led by Ibex Investors and Emerge.
The company’s executive team, including Chairman and CEO Joel Bar-El, also invested in the round showing strong internal support and confidence in its strategic plans.
The new funding will help Xpand grow, starting with the launch of its first smart, self-service store in Vienna. This is an important step in the company’s plan to bring efficient, hassle-free retail technology to more places around the world.
“With this new investment, we are ready to move from vision to global execution,” said Joel Bar-El, CEO of Xpand. “The Vienna store is only the beginning. Our leadership team is deeply committed to bringing scalable, autonomous retail to life.”
Xpand develops modular “store-in-a-box” units that integrate robotics, computer vision, and real-time inventory management. These unmanned plug-and-play stores are designed to operate 24/7 without staff, giving retailers a fast, flexible way to grow their footprint and provide a seamless, personalized shopping experience.
Founded in 2021 as 1MRobotics, the company later rebranded to Xpand to show its move from research and development to full commercial operations.
The new funding will speed up store launches across Europe and North America and help grow the company’s sales, marketing, and technology teams.
Xpand is run by experienced leaders and entrepreneurs with strong backgrounds in retail, logistics, and enterprise technology.
CEO Joel Bar-El previously co-founded Trax Retail, a global retail AI unicorn. At the same time, other senior team members have worked at top companies like SAP, Retalix, Bringg, and Magic Leap.
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