Aforza, a new provider of industry-specific cloud software for the consumer goods industry, announced today that it has opened its first research & development lab in Cardiff.

The Aforza team is currently based in Tramshed Tech, the popular co-working technology hub in the Welsh capital, and has plans to expand with Tramshed Tech as they prepare to open new flexible workspaces in Cardiff city centre, catering to the growing tech and cyber industries.

Aforza is a global cloud company focused on the consumer goods, food and beverage industries. It has released applications for pricing, ordering and retail execution. Aforza solutions utilise artificial intelligence, machine learning and mobile technology to give its customers differentiated improvements in revenue, employee efficiency, market reach and field effectiveness.

Whilst this initial investment is supporting the early-stage R&D team, Aforza plans to expand to as many as 300 employees globally over the coming years, with Cardiff tipped to be a desired location to drive R&D growth.

Cardiff University alumnus and Chief Product Officer at Aforza, Nick Eales said:

“It’s a source of great personal pride to me to return to Cardiff; to bring investment here and play our part in boosting the knowledge economy.”

Welsh Government has been supporting Aforza in locating to Wales. Deputy Minister for Economy & Transport, Lee Waters said:

“This is a very exciting time for the booming tech sector in Wales which has seen the number of jobs soar by 83% since 2010. It’s great to see that we can attract and support new technology companies like Aforza who are investing heavily in R&D which will help to further strengthen the Welsh economy.”

Aforza has been successfully seed invested by Bonfire Ventures, Daher Capital and Salesforce Ventures.