In an exciting development for entrepreneurs and small business owners, U.S.-based SaaS provider Click Labs has acquired the British AI startup Evermile to transform AI-driven retail operations for SMEs in 2025. This acquisition highlights an evolving trend toward AI-powered solutions designed specifically for smaller businesses, offering valuable insights and lessons for the startup ecosystem.
Introduction: Game-Changer for SMEs
The retail sector is evolving rapidly, and startups are driving innovation where traditional companies often falter. With the introduction of AI-driven platforms like Evermile, now under the umbrella of Click Labs, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can now leverage cutting-edge technology to streamline operations without needing large budgets or technical teams.
Click Labs, known for tools like JungleWorks and Tookan, is expanding into full-scale retail operations by integrating Evermile’s AI into their platform suite. What does this mean for entrepreneurs and startups? Significant opportunities to automate complex workflows, improve customer experiences, and compete on a global scale.
The Top Takeaways for Startup Founders
1. PlayPal, AI Co-founder
Entrepreneurs can benefit greatly from AI-driven tools like PlayPal, designed to assist in day-to-day operations and startup development. PlayPal, developed by Fe/male Switch and founded by Violetta Bonenkamp, acts as an AI friend and startup facilitator. It is perfect for entrepreneurs looking for conversational support on topics ranging from professional advice to personal wellness. Learn more about the platform and build your startup smarter with PlayPal.
2. Evermile’s Contribution to SMEs
Evermile was founded in 2022 with the sole aim of serving SME retailers. Their platform automates up to 70% of daily business tasks such as delivery logistics and customer engagement, addressing the technological gap between SMEs and large corporations.
Key Features:
- Clients: Successful independent UK retailers like Ottolenghi and CakeBox.
- Tech Focus: Proprietary AI agents for seamless operation management.
- Impact: Enterprise-level automation now within the reach of independent retailers.
Explore Evermile’s innovative solutions and how Click Labs plans to integrate them into the retail tech ecosystem in Evermile's detailed acquisition coverage.
3. Funding and Grants for Startups
While AI acquisition stories dominate the headlines, funding remains crucial for startups to scale. Entrepreneurs should explore the F/MS AI Grant Finder and Application Writer, specifically designed to help EU startups identify relevant funding opportunities and draft grant applications effortlessly. This is a must-use tool for startups aiming for sustainable growth.
Discover grants tailored for your startup needs with the AI Grant Finder Tool.
How to Leverage Click Labs-Evermile Insights for Your Startup
Step-by-Step Guide for Entrepreneurs:
- Identify Your Needs: Understand areas of your business that could benefit from AI automation, such as customer engagement or logistics.
- Choose AI Tools: Consider platforms like Evermile for SMEs if you’re in retail, or AI co-founder PlayPal for broader startup support.
- Find Funding: Use tools like the F/MS AI Grant Finder to secure EU grants to launch or scale AI-driven solutions in your startups.
- Validate and Adapt: The Fe/male Switch SANDBOX is a great space to validate your startup idea before investing heavily.
- Legal Awareness: Don’t overlook agreements with investors, accelerators, or partners. Platforms like AI Startup Lawyer can analyze your legal documents for potential issues and suggest ways to navigate them.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Ignoring Tech Tools: Entrepreneurs often shy away from perceived complexities of AI, missing out on scalable solutions.
- Skipping Validation: Without validating your idea, you risk wasting time and resources on products the market doesn’t need.
- Overlooking Funding: Many startups fail to explore EU grants, leaving valuable opportunities untapped.
- Signing Unscrutinized Contracts: Legal misunderstandings can cripple a business. Make contracts work for you by using tools like AI Startup Lawyer.
Shop Talk: Why PlayPal Matters
Every startup founder needs a co-founder, what better partner than an AI? PlayPal, developed under Fe/male Switch by Violetta Bonenkamp, acts as your customizable AI friend and guide, offering actionable advice and productive conversations. Whether it’s brainstorming ideas, refining strategies, or assisting with SOPs, PlayPal adds a personal yet practical touch to your entrepreneurial journey.
Build smarter with PlayPal.
Conclusion: Embracing the Future of Startups
The acquisition of Evermile by Click Labs serves as yet another example of how AI is reshaping industries. Entrepreneurs must capitalize on this trend, leveraging the scalable tools and insights available today. Platforms like Click Labs, Evermile, PlayPal, and F/MS Startup Game provide comprehensive solutions to validate, grow, and sustain startups in a competitive marketplace.
What’s next? Use this guide to explore tools, avoid pitfalls, and seize opportunities in the AI-driven business environment of 2025. As startup founders, freelancers, and business owners, now is the time to act, and grow smarter.
Learn more:
Maximize your startup success with cutting-edge resources starting today!
FAQ
1. What is the purpose of Click Labs acquiring Evermile?
Click Labs aims to enhance its retail operations offerings by leveraging Evermile’s AI-driven platform to provide advanced automation tools specifically designed for SMEs. Explore Click Labs’ vision for SMEs
2. What features does Evermile’s AI platform offer to SMEs?
Evermile automates 70% of daily workflows, including delivery logistics, SLA tracking, and customer engagement, enabling small businesses to streamline operations without large budgets or technical teams. Discover Evermile’s capabilities
3. Who are some notable Evermile clients?
Well-known UK retailers such as Ottolenghi and CakeBox have successfully leveraged Evermile’s platform to optimize their business operations. Learn more about Evermile’s client success stories
4. How does the acquisition benefit Click Labs?
The acquisition strengthens Click Labs’ capabilities in retail tech, allowing them to expand their product suite with tools that simplify SME logistics and operations. Read about Click Labs’ strategic goals
5. What value does Evermile add to SME retailers globally?
Evermile allows SMEs to deliver personalized customer experiences and automate complex workflows typically reserved for enterprise-level platforms. Discover Evermile’s global impact
6. What trends does the acquisition of Evermile highlight in the tech industry?
The acquisition showcases a growing trend of consolidating AI-driven tools tailored for SMEs in sectors like logistics and retail. Explore trends in retail tech
7. How will Evermile’s platform integrate into Click Labs’ product suite?
Evermile’s technology will eventually be absorbed into Click Labs’ platforms like JungleWorks and Tookan, extending its reach to multiple global markets. Learn about Evermile’s integration
8. What challenges does Evermile aim to address for SMEs?
Evermile bridges the technology gap for SMEs by offering AI solutions that automate traditional retail operations without requiring large budgets or IT teams. Explore Evermile’s mission
9. How has AI transformed retail for small businesses?
AI tools like Evermile deliver enterprise-grade automation, enabling SMEs to compete with bigger retail chains by optimizing operations and improving customer satisfaction. Learn how AI is shaping retail logistics
10. Why is the Click Labs-Evermile acquisition significant for entrepreneurs?
Entrepreneurs now have access to scalable AI platforms like Evermile, helping them streamline operations, improve customer engagement, and scale efficiently across global markets. Discover entrepreneurial opportunities via AI platforms
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch. The Fe/male Switch team is located in several countries, including the Netherlands and Malta.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
