Emtera Corp., which provides mobile customer relationship management (mCRM) solutions for the retail industry, has completed its initial financing with $1.2 million dollars from Avisent, an early-stage investment vehicle founded by General Atlantic Partners.
The Arlington, Va.-based Emtera, which maintains a research and development center in Atlanta, also announced it has acquired Sentio Research, Inc., a mobile market research-oriented initiative designed to provide retailers and consumer packaged goods companies with real-time market research data from an established, nationwide panel of focus group participants. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Avisent launched Sentio Research Inc. late last year. McKinsey & Company, an international management consulting firm, is serving as a strategic advisor to Avisent and was active in developing the business plan for Sentio Research .
“Sentio’s long-term strategy was to provide CRM solutions based on the analysis of market research data,” said Eleana Gordon, managing director of Avisent. “By merging Sentio with Emtera, we will be able to accelerate our vision.”
Emtera’s application leverages wireless, RFID, and computer vision technology to provide CPG companies and retailers new types of data about consumer shopping behavior and the ability to engage in a real-time digital dialogue with in-store customers.
“Through the Sentio acquisition, Emtera is now the first company to help businesses capture, analyze, and influence consumer behavior,” said Amir Hudda, president and chief executive officer of Emtera. “Our market research driven CRM strategy will help CPG companies and retailers capture new types of data faster and more cost effectively.”