Shopping start-up Smartzer to open Belfast operation

Smartzer, a London headquartered shoppable video technology start-up, is to establish a new operation in Belfast and create 16 jobs.

The company was founded by Karoline Gross and has developed technology which can make videos clickable and shoppable.

Smartzer’s technology enables its clients, which include global brands like LVMH, Jimmy Choo, Jaguar and Adidas, to give consumers the ability to click on items within a video to view and purchase products.

Data analytics provided by Smartzer then give these companies an insight into consumer preferences and shopping habits.

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Ms Gross, chief executive of Smartzer, said one of the key reasons why her company is expanding into Northern Ireland is because of the “high standard of talent within the Northern Ireland ICT sector”.

She said she was also attracted to the North because of the quality of students graduating from local universities.

Invest NI is backing the London firm’s expansion to the North with £80,000 of financial support.

Smartzer’s new Northern Ireland operation will focus on developing and launching the company’s new Software as a Service product.

“The new team in Belfast will see us double our overall workforce and increase our product offering.”

Smartzer’s Belfast team will be based in the Ormeau Baths entrepreneurial campus in the city centre. The former Victorian bath house is now home to some of Northern Ireland’s leading high-tech and digital start-ups and since it was established in July 2017 has evolved into an award-winning co-working hub in Belfast.