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Backing the Future of Personalised Fashion: Our Investment in Persi

By
Jonathan Keeling
By
Haatch

Who They Are

Persi is an AI-powered platform that’s redefining personalisation in e-commerce. It seamlessly integrates with retailers to deliver tailored product recommendations based on what customers already own and how they express their style, not just what they’ve previously clicked on. Unlike traditional recommendation engines, Persi starts with the person, not the product feed, creating an experience that feels more like advice from a trusted stylist than a pushy sales pitch.

What Problem They Solve

Personalisation in fashion retail is broken. Shoppers are bombarded with irrelevant suggestions, often leading to frustration, choice paralysis, and abandoned carts. In fact, 74% of consumers abandon purchases due to overwhelming options, and 41% cite irrelevant results as a core barrier to buying. Persi flips the script, using AI to understand an individual’s wardrobe, preferences, and upcoming events, to deliver recommendations that make sense, drive confidence, and ultimately improve conversion and retention. This means bigger baskets, fewer returns, and stronger customer loyalty for retailers.

Traction & Progress

Persi has gained impressive early traction across both consumer and business markets. Their direct-to-consumer MVP, launched in Q4 2024, saw high engagement: 90% style-match accuracy, 88% purchase intent, and 96% satisfaction. Users were highly engaged, with 64% recommending Persi to a friend and over a third purchasing multiple items.

On the B2B side, a pilot with leading fashion rental platform, Hirestreet, delivered standout results: 30% click-through, 90% style-match accuracy, 6% conversion, and 100% user satisfaction. Persi is now discussing with additional retailers to expand its SaaS offering and has just closed a £660,000 oversubscribed pre-seed round, co-led by Haatch and ESM Investments. The raise included a dedicated allocation for female investors, reflecting Persi’s commitment to inclusive, consumer-first innovation.

Why We Are Excited

At Haatch, we back early-stage companies that use technology to rethink legacy problems, and Persi is doing just that for personalisation. They've already validated product-market fit with a proven MVP, early revenue, and outstanding customer feedback. Founder Olivia Parkes brings 14 years of hands-on experience with some of the UK’s most well-known fashion brands, including Reiss, House of Fraser, Monica Vinader, and Missoma, giving her an insider’s perspective on the gaps Persi is now solving.

Persi is more than a smarter recommendation tool. It’s a platform that enables retailers to deliver truly personal, intuitive, human-centred, and commercially impactful personalisation. With strong early data, a talented team, and a clear roadmap to scale, we’re thrilled to be backing Persi as they shape the future of fashion e-commerce.

By
Jonathan Keeling
Partner
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