Retailers today face growing pressure to meet consumers’ demand for instant delivery. As on-demand services become the norm, traditional retail systems struggle to keep up. Rapid delivery is often slow, expensive, and technically complex to execute—especially without purpose-built logistics. Cloud Retail, a London-based e-commerce software platform designed to simplify and speed up rapid delivery.
The company recently secured $3 million in seed funding to support its mission: making fast, efficient, and cost-effective delivery accessible for retailers everywhere.
The funding round was led by Somersault Ventures, with support from Pre-Seed to Succeed, AddVenture, and other backers. The capital will fuel product development and Cloud Retail’s expansion into the EU and MENA markets, where it already partners with major brands like Carrefour, Circle K, and CityDrinks in the UAE.
“This financing will help us enhance the platform and scale it to even more countries and retail segments,” said Marat Bolatov, CEO and co-founder of Cloud Retail.
From 15-Minute Delivery to Scalable Software
Cloud Retail’s journey began during the pandemic in November 2020 under the name Jiffy Grocery. Co-founders Marat Bolatov and Artur Shamalov launched a 15-minute grocery delivery service in high-density London neighborhoods like Westminster, Hackney, and Shoreditch. The concept relied on a network of cloud stores—small fulfillment centers placed close to end users.
The team, experienced in food tech and logistics, quickly raised £2.6 million in pre-seed funding and expanded operations to 20 locations across the UK. At its peak, Jiffy fulfilled 4,500 daily orders with a 99.99% picking accuracy.
But like many Q-commerce startups, Jiffy hit profitability roadblocks. High operational costs, razor-thin margins, and complex logistics made the business hard to sustain. By 2022, the company pivoted to focus on software rather than direct retail. That shift gave birth to Cloud Retail, which repurposed Jiffy’s proven tech into a modular SaaS platform.
The rebrand, finalized in December 2023, positioned Cloud Retail as a go-to solution for retailers across multiple industries—from grocery and pharmaceuticals to fashion, electronics, and warehouse operations.
Why Cloud Retail Stands Out in the E-Commerce Space
In a market dominated by Shopify, BigCommerce, and Oracle Retail Cloud, Cloud Retail targets a specific niche—ultra-fast, localized delivery. Its edge lies in how it handles hyperlocal fulfillment, enabling retailers to launch and scale rapid delivery services without building logistics from scratch.
Unlike general-purpose platforms, Cloud Retail offers an all-in-one retail management ecosystem. It covers every step of the operation—online storefronts, inventory control, last-mile delivery, sales, marketing, and analytics—in one unified system.
Retailers can use Cloud Retail’s pre-built modules or connect their own tools using simple APIs. This flexibility allows businesses to go live in as little as one week, cutting the usual deployment time by 80%.
Its AI-driven features further streamline operations:
- 70% shorter picking runs through optimized routes.
- 6–8 seconds per item picked, enabled by smart shelving logic.
- 99.95% picking accuracy, reducing manual errors.
- 44% drop in late orders.
- Delivery software that uses 35 parameters to optimize courier batching and order flow.
- Each store requires just one full-time equivalent (FTE) for operations.
This powerful tech stack makes Cloud Retail a standout for businesses that need speed, accuracy, and efficiency in high-volume delivery environments.
Investors are taking notice. “Cloud Retail’s global vision, real-world traction, and strong founder mindset made this a clear investment opportunity,” said Igor Ryabenkiy, co-founder of Pre-Seed to Succeed and Managing Partner at AltaIR Capital.
Alexander Nevinskiy, Partner at Somersault Ventures, added: “Their operational experience and product innovation are unique. We’re thrilled to support their continued growth.”
With fresh capital, a strong client base, and deep expertise in Q-commerce logistics, Cloud Retail is ready to lead the next wave of rapid delivery innovation—helping retailers keep pace with ever-rising consumer expectations.
