Colombian retail technology startup Celes has successfully raised $5 million in a Series A funding round as the company looks to scale its artificial intelligence-driven supply chain and inventory management platform across the Latin American region. The investment round was led by SP Ventures, a prominent venture capital firm known for backing high-growth technology companies in Latin America, and saw significant participation from Fulcrum Global Capital, 30N Ventures, and Taram Capital.
Founded in 2023, Celes has quickly established itself as a key player in the region’s evolving retailtech sector by developing sophisticated artificial intelligence agents and predictive algorithms. These technological tools are specifically designed to help modern retailers navigate the complexities of supply chain management by forecasting consumer demand with high precision, optimizing inventory levels, and automating product distribution across sprawling networks of brick-and-mortar stores. In an industry where stockouts can lead to lost revenue and overstocking ties up crucial working capital, Celes aims to provide merchants with the data-driven clarity needed to maintain optimal stock levels in real time.
A key differentiator for the Celes platform is its ability to seamlessly integrate with existing enterprise resource planning systems, commonly referred to as ERPs. Rather than requiring retailers to undergo costly, time-consuming, and disruptive software migrations, Celes connects directly with major established enterprise platforms such as SAP and Oracle. This integration capability allows retail organizations to adopt advanced AI-powered inventory management and automated replenishment workflows while preserving their foundational IT infrastructure. By bridging the gap between legacy software systems and modern machine learning capabilities, Celes removes traditional barriers to technological adoption for large retail enterprises.
The newly secured $5 million Series A capital injection will be deployed strategically to accelerate the company’s growth trajectory across the continent. Celes plans to use the funds to strengthen its existing operational footprint in Colombia, Mexico, and Chile, while simultaneously laying the groundwork for a broader market expansion into Brazil, one of the largest and most competitive retail markets in Latin America. Scaling operations across these diverse geographic jurisdictions will enable the startup to capture a larger share of the fast-growing retail technology market in the region, where legacy manual processes are increasingly giving way to automated, predictive solutions.
Despite its relatively recent inception in 2023, Celes has already achieved significant scale and market penetration. The company currently operates across eight countries, processing and generating an impressive 55 million demand forecasts on a daily basis. Its algorithms actively manage and oversee inventory across more than 8,500 individual retail stores throughout the region. Demonstrating the reliability and efficiency of its software, the Celes platform successfully automates over 90 percent of routine inventory replenishment decisions without requiring manual intervention from store managers or supply chain analysts.
The startup’s robust technological capabilities have attracted a prestigious roster of enterprise clients, including major regional brands such as Olímpica, FEMSA Salud, and Tiendas Neto. These partnerships underscore the growing reliance of major Latin American retail groups on automated, AI-driven solutions to manage supply chain volatility and improve operational margins. With the backing of SP Ventures and its co-investors, Celes is well-positioned to deepen its impact on the retail sector, continuing to transform how goods are distributed and managed across storefronts throughout Latin America.
