London-based Embargo Secures €3 Million Funding

Founded by Frederick Szydlowski and Tsewang Wangkang, Embargo offers a plug-and-play digital loyalty wallet, CRM and ordering platform for coffee shops, restaurants, and bakeries. Its suite includes the Embargo Portal CRM with analytics, reporting, and marketing tools, alongside Embargo Wallet, Web Ordering, and Tipping, empowering hospitality SMEs with enterprise-grade technology.

Frederick Szydlowski, co-founder of Embargo, commented: “Our mission is to level the playing field for hospitality SMEs keen to grow their revenues and scale – we do that by giving them access to the kind of tools typically reserved for global enterprises. This investment is not just a vote of confidence in our product and growth to date, but also in the scale of the opportunity ahead. With strong foundations, a growing international footprint, and a clear product roadmap, we’re perfectly positioned to become the go-to platform for hospitality businesses worldwide.”

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Embargo is now used by nearly 3,000 venues across the UK, Poland, and Western Europe. The platform has processed over 13 million transactions and digital stamps, tripling its revenue since mid-2023 while maintaining the same team size.

Oliver Chantler, director at Hampton Finance, stated: “We know how hard it is for SMEs to capture and analyse customer data effectively. Embargo’s plug-and-play CRM platform gives SMEs sophisticated but easy-to-use tools, which have proven to drive repeat revenue for thousands of merchants. Embargo is closing a critical information gap in the food-and-hospitality sector, and we are excited to be part of its journey.”

As major hospitality brands like McDonald’s, Starbucks, KFC, and Joe & The Juice invest heavily in loyalty solutions, demand is growing for affordable, effective platforms for independent operators and small chains, which make up about 75% of the industry.

The new funding will enhance Embargo’s AI-driven marketing engine, strengthen B2B sales, and support international expansion, building on recent partnerships with US payment and POS providers Square and Lightspeed.

Tsewang Wangkang, co-founder of Embargo, said: “For the first time, we have the budget to fully leverage our product-market fit and significantly accelerate sales and marketing. We aim to more than double our growth year over year while maintaining a healthy business model and avoiding short-term artificial spikes that don’t deliver long-term value. It’s all about where we will be in three, five, ten years – not next quarter. If you optimise towards short-term growth at any cost, you start focusing on vanity metrics.”

Paul Statham, founder of Condeco, commented: “Having built and exited a $100m+ ARR software platform myself, I look for founders who have what it takes to scale a startup. Successful startups don’t always need groundbreaking technologies – much more often, they are best-in-class solutions with outstanding execution. Embargo is solving a growing need for SMEs, which require support more than ever. What the team have achieved so far gives them a tremendous base for scaling globally.”

Embargo currently operates in two countries and maintains a presence in over ten more. The company aims to significantly expand its international footprint within the next 24 months.

About Embargo

Embargo, the UK and Poland’s leading plug-and-play digital loyalty wallet and CRM, helps coffee shops, restaurants, bakeries, and delis boost repeat revenue and customer loyalty. With the Embargo Portal CRM and Wallet app, businesses capture and act on data, increase visits, spend, and profits, and launch within days hassle-free.