Fashion tech startup Markmi has clinched €1.1 million in seed funding to fuel the expansion of its AI-driven markdown assistant.
In today’s fast-evolving fashion market, retailers face mounting pressure to safeguard margins amid shifting consumer habits and rising operational costs. Markdowns—whether for mid-season sales, end-of-season clearances, or high-stakes events like Black Friday—are a critical piece of the puzzle. Yet, too many brands still lean on outdated tools like spreadsheets and instinct, leaving potential revenue and profits on the table.
Enter Markmi: a sleek, AI-powered assistant designed specifically for fashion retail. By replacing guesswork with data-driven precision, Markmi empowers merchandising teams to optimize pricing, boost sell-through rates, and maximize profitability. Early adopters like C&A, G-Star, Zizzi, ZEB, and Torfs are already reaping the rewards, reporting revenue increases of 5–10% and margin gains of 2–5% during markdown periods.
“Markdowns represent one of the largest cost lines in a fashion retailer’s P&L,” said Markus Krenn, VP & Head of Commercial Planning Europe at C&A. “Markmi has been a game-changer in slashing those costs for us.”
The brainchild of founder Laurent Mainil, Markmi was born from necessity. With a family legacy steeped in Belgium’s fashion industry, Mainil saw firsthand how the pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in inventory management. What started as a solution to help retailers hit revenue goals under pressure has now evolved into a cutting-edge tool that’s reshaping markdown strategies.
Markmi’s strength lies in its speed and smarts. In mere minutes, it crunches multiple pricing scenarios, delivering clear recommendations that reveal how different discount levels impact sales, margins, and stock levels. Take G-Star EU, for example: Markmi ran 14.5 million calculations across its inventory in just five days, enabling the team to pinpoint the most profitable path forward in an instant.
The funding round draws support from a mix of fashion and tech heavyweights, including Wolf (helmed by Luc Van Mol, formerly of ZEB), the Torfs family, and tech luminaries like Lorenz Bogaert, Matthias Geeroms, Jan Teerlinck, Roeland Delrue, Jonas Deprez, and PMV.
Looking beyond markdowns, Markmi has its sights set on becoming a comprehensive AI-driven pricing platform for fashion retail. Future features will tackle full-price optimization and promotional management, cementing its role as a strategic partner for the industry.
“Retailers everywhere grapple with the same question: how to set the right price at the right moment,” Mainil said. “With AI, it’s no longer about gut calls—it’s about gaining a competitive edge.”
In today’s fast-evolving fashion market, retailers face mounting pressure to safeguard margins amid shifting consumer habits and rising operational costs. Markdowns—whether for mid-season sales, end-of-season clearances, or high-stakes events like Black Friday—are a critical piece of the puzzle. Yet, too many brands still lean on outdated tools like spreadsheets and instinct, leaving potential revenue and profits on the table.
Enter Markmi: a sleek, AI-powered assistant designed specifically for fashion retail. By replacing guesswork with data-driven precision, Markmi empowers merchandising teams to optimize pricing, boost sell-through rates, and maximize profitability. Early adopters like C&A, G-Star, Zizzi, ZEB, and Torfs are already reaping the rewards, reporting revenue increases of 5–10% and margin gains of 2–5% during markdown periods.
“Markdowns represent one of the largest cost lines in a fashion retailer’s P&L,” said Markus Krenn, VP & Head of Commercial Planning Europe at C&A. “Markmi has been a game-changer in slashing those costs for us.”
The brainchild of founder Laurent Mainil, Markmi was born from necessity. With a family legacy steeped in Belgium’s fashion industry, Mainil saw firsthand how the pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in inventory management. What started as a solution to help retailers hit revenue goals under pressure has now evolved into a cutting-edge tool that’s reshaping markdown strategies.
Markmi’s strength lies in its speed and smarts. In mere minutes, it crunches multiple pricing scenarios, delivering clear recommendations that reveal how different discount levels impact sales, margins, and stock levels. Take G-Star EU, for example: Markmi ran 14.5 million calculations across its inventory in just five days, enabling the team to pinpoint the most profitable path forward in an instant.
The funding round draws support from a mix of fashion and tech heavyweights, including Wolf (helmed by Luc Van Mol, formerly of ZEB), the Torfs family, and tech luminaries like Lorenz Bogaert, Matthias Geeroms, Jan Teerlinck, Roeland Delrue, Jonas Deprez, and PMV.
Looking beyond markdowns, Markmi has its sights set on becoming a comprehensive AI-driven pricing platform for fashion retail. Future features will tackle full-price optimization and promotional management, cementing its role as a strategic partner for the industry.
“Retailers everywhere grapple with the same question: how to set the right price at the right moment,” Mainil said. “With AI, it’s no longer about gut calls—it’s about gaining a competitive edge.”