Visual Feeder Raises $1.7 Million —an outdoor network of visual experiences

CHICAGO, 5.12.2022 – Visual Feeder, a digital marketing technology company that transforms unoccupied commercial windows into digital displays to creatively connect brands with their consumers; raised a $1.7 million seed round of financing led by Sandalphon Capital and Blue Field Capital, along with investments from Techstars, Lair East Labs and several strategic angel investors. The company has already created campaigns for high-profile brands like Adidas, Lyft, Hilton Hotels, and Parsons School of Design while partnering with some of the largest mall owners operating in the US, such as Macerich Group.

Visual Feeder uses projection mapping technology to turn retail vacancies into immersive, digital displays that provide real-time engagement analytics plus optional lidar-sensor features that enable passersby to creatively interact with the display. This groundbreaking approach provides brands with a street-level platform to reach audiences with a demonstrably better rate of engagement than traditional billboard signage. Moreover, Visual Feeder helps property owners recover utility from their vacant spaces, generating revenue during the occupancy downtime while maintaining an aesthetically captivating storefront.

The founders of Visual Feeder, siblings Eddie and Yaxi Yang, grew up in a creative environment with parents who were both artists. Their upbringing centered around visual art and creativity. “We are creating a new platform to bring digital content into physical spaces that manifests a winsome rather than intrusive experience around advertising, transforming how we interact with brands at a fundamental level. Art and technology continue to evolve together to enhance the world we live in today, and we are here to be a part of this evolution.”

Visual Feeder’s entry into the out-of-home advertising space seems particularly timely given the pressure many retailers face due to the pandemic. As reported by CNBC in December 2021, retailers announced a whopping 18,583 store closures from 2019 to 2020 alone, according to Coresight data.

“U.S. retail vacancy had already been a growing issue due to e-commerce and a shift in consumer behavior, but ever since COVID, we witnessed a huge influx of underutilized spaces,” says Visual Feeder CEO and cofounder, Eddie Yang. “Half-hanging leasing signage or paper storefront coverings not only diminishes the aesthetic appeal of cities but also decreases the economic vitality of our neighborhoods. We love our urban communities and are committed to helping change that.”

Cofounder Yaxi Yang elaborates, “We’re an outdoor network of visual experiences; vacant storefronts are a blank canvas for creative brands seeking to connect with consumers in new ways. Visual Feeder radically changes the experience of looking at vacant storefronts while providing property owners with an effortless solution for modernizing and monetizing their spaces until they are leased.”

This round of funding will accelerate Visual Feeder’s growth while the ad-tech startup secures key hires to scale its network of digital displays in the creation of a national marketplace for today’s top brands, featuring current live displays in Chicago, New York, and the San Francisco Bay area.

About Visual Feeder
Visual Feeder is a Chicago-based ad-tech startup redefining the outdoor advertising industry by turning unoccupied retail windows into engaging visual brand experiences using projection technology. Founded in 2020 by Eddie Yang and Yaxi Yang, Visual Feeder is on a mission to change the face of advertising and marketing by leveraging cutting-edge technology and creating a smart city ad network across with underutilized spaces. Since its founding, Visual Feeder has worked with some of the world’s largest brands, including Adidas, Lyft, Lululemon, Hilton Hotels, etc.

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