AI-powered hospitality operations platform Edify has secured £3 million in new funding, including a £2.5 million investment from growth investor Calculus, as it looks to accelerate adoption across the hospitality and quick service restaurant sector.
Founded in 2024 by former Over Under founder Ed Barry, Edify was built to tackle one of hospitality’s biggest operational challenges: giving operators clearer visibility and control across increasingly complex businesses.
The platform combines inventory management, demand forecasting and back-of-house operations into a single system, using AI to automate ordering, identify discrepancies and generate shift-by-shift prep plans. Its AI analytics tool, Ask Edify, allows operators to query live business performance data without relying on spreadsheets or multiple reporting systems.
Built by an operator, for operators
Barry launched Edify after selling London coffee chain Over Under to Blank Street Coffee in 2022. Having experienced the realities of running multi-site hospitality businesses first-hand, he identified a growing burden on general managers who were spending significant amounts of time managing data, reconciling figures and handling administrative tasks rather than focusing on teams and customer experience.
Edify aims to address that challenge by bringing operational data into a single environment and turning it into actionable insights for both store managers and central teams.
The company has already attracted customers including Pret A Manger, Dunkin’ Donuts, WatchHouse and Yolk.
According to Edify, the platform is on track to save each Pret A Manger store manager around two hours per day, equating to approximately $4 million in annual savings across the retailer’s UK estate.
Hospitality operators under pressure
The investment comes at a time when hospitality businesses continue to face rising labour costs, tighter margins and ongoing workforce challenges.
Operators are increasingly looking to technology and automation to improve efficiency while maintaining customer experience and operational standards.
Alexander Crawford, Co-Head of Investments at Calculus, said Edify’s traction reflected both the scale of the problem and the strength of its solution.
“Ed built Edify because he’d lived the problem himself, and that shows in how the product is designed. The customer traction at this stage, with brands like Pret and Dunkin’ Donuts already on the platform, is exceptional.
“We believe Edify has the potential to become the defining platform for how QSRs operate.”
Barry said the funding would help the business bring its AI-powered operational intelligence platform to more hospitality brands.
“Operators are making critical decisions every day with fragmented systems, unclear data and too much noise.
“Edify exists to change that. We’re not bolting AI onto old software. We’re building a live intelligence system around the way hospitality actually works, connecting the floor and HQ so GMs can lead better, stores can perform stronger and businesses can grow smarter.”
The funding will support Edify’s continued product development and expansion across the hospitality and quick service restaurant market.
