A Bristol tech firm specialising in electronic self-service point-of-sale systems for restaurants is aiming for growth of 500% over the next four years after securing investment of £250,000.
Kurve expects to profit from the surge in demand for self-service kiosks in quick service and casual dining restaurants across the UK. 
Founded two years ago, the firm already has 110 customers with more than 210 sites.
Its SaaS (software-as-a-service) based in-store kiosk, point of sale (PoS), web and mobile self-service offerings have been designed to help hospitality operators become more profitable by achieving higher transaction values, increased throughput, improved labour productivity and enhanced customer loyalty.
Kurve kiosks work on multiple devices from large floor-standing devices, to wall-mounted screens and desk-mounted tablets.
Kurve founder and CEO Steven Boyes said the initial funding will be used to invest in marketing and brand awareness over the next nine to 12 months and also further develop its operations team to expand its customer base.
“Following the pandemic, hospitality operators have faced growing pressures of staff shortages and escalating operational costs,” he said.
“Self-service has not only seen a rise in its appeal, especially among younger consumers, it also significantly reduces costs, increases average transaction values and boosts customer satisfaction.
“We see a massive untapped opportunity for Kurve’s in-store kiosk, PoS, web or mobile platform that is ideal for hospitality operators looking to make an easy and affordable switch to contactless ordering.
“We offer users a slick and easy user experience and our cloud-based solutions can also integrate into existing PoS systems.”
Industry research has revealed that 84% of Generation Z choose to visit a restaurant with a self-serve kiosk over and above those without one, and according to analyst Forbes, 65% of customers said they would be more willing to visit a restaurant if self-service kiosks were available.
Among the those taking part in the £250,000 seed capital round is Mark Lilley, founder of Abokado, a London-based healthy grab-and-go chain and one of Kurve’s customers.
Mark said: “I have seen first-hand how powerful and industry-leading the Kurve platform is. Introducing kiosks, mobile self-service and digital loyalty into Abokado has been transformational and Kurve’s product has marked benefits over the competition.
“All the signs are that this market is set for huge growth, across both hospitality and retail, and I’m delighted to have been able to invest.
“I look forward to seeing Steve and the team take Kurve from strength to strength.”
Following the success of the seed funding round, Kurve plans to secure Series A funding towards the end of next year to further accelerate growth and entry into additional markets.
