Founded in 2020, startup Allo aims to help small restaurants with their digitalization. Unlike larger establishments and restaurant chains, they often lack the necessary resources to implement technology-based solutions for bookings, orders, team management, and similar functions.
Allo now wants to bundle all these and other tools on its platform, thus “making small restaurants accessible to the technological level of McDonald’s and Starbucks,” as stated on the company’s website. A dedicated app store will also facilitate the integration of third-party solutions such as PayPal, Lieferando, or Datev. Furthermore, the three founders Benedikt von Lewinski, Cancan Liu, and Teodor Rupi want to further differentiate themselves from competitors by avoiding additional hardware and contracts with long lock-in periods.
Allo supports cash payments
Allo also promises not to insist on the use of smartphones as networked payment terminals. Instead, the company wants to support cash payments. For the founders, it’s clear that cash still dominates in Germany, even though COVID accelerated the acceptance of contactless payments. This allows the startup to appeal to restaurant owners who shy away from credit card transaction fees.
With their approach, the three founders have now convinced initial investors. In their seed round, they raised 1.4 million euros from Keen Venture Partners. The VC based in Amsterdam and London has a diverse portfolio featuring various business solutions ranging from tourism to learning to cyber security. Keen Venture Partners has also invested in Munich-based startup Finn. The VC also has experience in the restaurant business, as evidenced by its involvement in the Amsterdam-based food ordering portal Takeaway.com, which has since been acquired by Just Eat.
Additionally, several business angels participated in the funding round, including Martin Enderle, chair of the supervisory board at Delivery Hero. With the fresh capital, the three founders plan to expand the company and expand nationwide across Germany.
