Walmart |
San Bruno, CA |
Within
the past year, Walmart Labs has hired 1,000 workers,
employing a total of 3,500 people, and has acquired 14
startups. The laboratory has created Walmart Exchange, a
platform available to brands that sell products at
Walmart, which allows for real time ads based on shopper
data. Among the mobile apps developed at Walmart Labs is
the Savings Catcher, which scans a receipt to find
prices at competing stores. If the app finds a cheaper
price, shoppers get money back in the form of a gift
card. |
Staples |
Seattle,
WA; San Mateo, CA; and Cambridge, MA |
Improving mobile commerce capabilities is among Staples priorities. The retailer recently deployed a new application using Apple Pay and launched Visa Checkout, which saves credit card information within its mobile app in order to speed up the checkout process. The personalization of the shopping experience, the development of highly functional in-store kiosks, and the integration of cutting-edge technology, such as 3D printing, are also ongoing efforts. |
Lowe’s |
Los
Angeles, CA; and Mountain View, CA |
Lowe’s
Innovation Labs have spun out two projects so far: 1)
the Holoroom project uses installations and an augmented
reality app to create virtual replicas of home
improvement projects; 2) the self-roaming OSHbot sheds
light on how retailers can take advantage of
robotics. |
Westfield Group |
San Francisco, CA |
Westfield
Labs recently announced the Bespoke project, which will
devote 40,000 square feet to retail tech demonstrations.
The goal is to rethink how traditional retailers operate
in Westfield Group's shopping centers across the globe.
In partnership with eBay, the laboratory has set up
three 10-foot tall shoppable screens at its San
Francisco location. The devices allow shoppers to swipe
through products and then buy them from a mobile device. |
Home
Depot |
Austin,
TX |
Formerly
known as BlackLocus, Home Depot’s Innovation Lab is
working on next-generation business software for
retailers, as well as new and improved ways to use
complex data sets in the retail environment. |
Target |
San
Francisco, CA |
Working
in close collaboration with tech startups, Target’s
Innovation Lab focuses on four areas: virtual reality,
robotics, Internet of Things, and digital activations.
Ongoing projects include a 3D, virtual reality
experience to furnish a dorm room and the use of beacons
and location technologies. |
Charles R Goulding Attorney/CPA, is the President of R&D Tax Savers.
Andressa Bonafé is a Tax Analyst with R&D Tax Savers.
Andrea Albanese is a Manager with R&D Tax Savers.