“Operators don’t need more dashboards and apps, they need answers,” Jared Neilsen, SynergySuite chief executive said in a statement announcing the company’s latest funding round.
The company just secured $12 million in new funding, led by Dublin-based Oyster Capital with support from First Analysis and Lago Innovation. The round follows a $6 million Series A in 2019 and gives SynergySuite additional resources to pursue global expansion and accelerate its AI product development.
Headquartered in Sandy, Utah, SynergySuite develops software designed to simplify what happens behind the scenes at restaurants. Its platform combines inventory management, purchasing, labor scheduling, food safety, cash management, and human resources into a single system. The company’s pitch to customers is that by consolidating these tasks, and layering in AI to forecast demand and automate routine decisions, operators can cut waste and improve profitability across hundreds or even thousands of outlets.
Building a Platform for Multi-Unit Operators
Investors are betting that the restaurant industry, long dependent on fragmented tools and manual processes, is ready for broader adoption of integrated systems.
SynergySuite’s technology is built to scale with enterprise chains and franchise networks. Its system uses machine learning and large language models to support forecasting, ordering, and scheduling, while also managing corporate-level functions such as royalty tracking. By linking into point-of-sale, payroll, accounting, and vendor management software, the platform allows restaurant brands to preserve their existing systems while gaining a unified layer of visibility. This emphasis on integration has been one of SynergySuite’s key differentiators, according to both executives and customers.
The company reports one of the highest customer retention rates in its category, though it has not disclosed specific figures. Brands such as Pollo Campero, Tropical Smoothie Café, and Shipley Do-Nuts are among its clients.
A Crowded Market for AI-Driven Tools
Rivals such as Fourth, Infor, and MarginEdge have all invested heavily in forecasting, scheduling, and cost management technology. Fourth has built its reputation serving global enterprise operators, though its system can be complex to implement. MarginEdge, by contrast, has gained traction with independent and mid-sized operators by focusing on recipe costing and invoice automation. SynergySuite’s approach sits between the two, offering enterprise-grade capabilities while emphasizing usability for day-to-day managers.
Neilsen argues that the company’s edge comes from its breadth of modules and the AI capabilities that power them. “With SynergySuite, they don’t have to choose,” he said of operators weighing best-in-breed tools against fully integrated systems. “They get a unified platform that actually works together, and works well”.
The company operates with teams in the U.S., Ireland, the UK, and Montenegro, giving it a foundation for international expansion. The new funding is intended to accelerate adoption among large franchise groups and fast-growing concepts. As Neilsen put it: “Our customers don’t ask us for tech. They ask us for smarter, simpler ways to run their business. That’s what our AI is built for, and now we’re scaling it even faster”.
