From Anonymous Transactions to Customer Intelligence

Wine Unplugged's transformation demonstrated that platforms succeed when they solve business problems rather than digitize existing processes. By building architecture accommodating three business models simultaneously, they shifted from operating six bars to providing scalable infrastructure attracting partnership inquiries beyond original venue operations.

The impact shows in metrics: €150,000 in transactions, 10,000 users building preference profiles, and 40% increase in repeat visits. More importantly, platform data now informs wholesale inventory decisions, with consumption patterns predicting which wines perform well in distribution channels.

This foundation positions Wine Unplugged for exponential growth without capital requirements typically associated with venue expansion. Each new venue increases platform value through network effects, with the technology investment evolving into their primary competitive advantage.

The project succeeded because we prioritized business model flexibility over feature richness from day one. While most projects optimize for single use cases, we architected Wine Unplugged to accommodate models Dan and Martin hadn't considered yet. This enabled white-label partnerships within months that would have required complete rebuilds under traditional approaches.



Technical decisions reflected operational realities. Virtual wallets with incentivized preloading solved cash flow challenges while eliminating lost card frustrations. Real-time IoT maintained self-service speed while capturing behavioral data. Payment architecture handled complex multi-stakeholder revenue distribution without creating accounting nightmares.



We served as technical co-founders protecting Dan and Martin from expensive mistakes non-technical founders typically make. We rejected features that would impress investors but not drive revenue, and ensured every development dollar created measurable value. This eliminated the 40% budget waste common in similar projects, allowing Wine Unplugged to reach profitability faster while building infrastructure supporting continental expansion.

Our partnership with Wine Unplugged continues unlocking revenue opportunities through strategic expansion. The multi-vendor architecture proven across six Amsterdam venues enables seamless European expansion requiring only configuration changes, not code rewrites. They're currently exploring white-label partnerships with premium wine importers and umbrella platforms for independent bars, transforming from local operator into continental technology provider.

The architecture eliminates traditional scaling bottlenecks. New venue onboarding activates payment processing instantly. Wholesale partner integrations sync inventory automatically. Marketing campaigns flow customer data seamlessly between Klaviyo and the platform. Every integration doesn't just add features; it multiplies platform value through network effects.

This foundation positions Wine Unplugged ahead of competitors managing physical cards or basic POS systems. While others face vendor lock-in and rebuild costs, Wine Unplugged pivots business models through configuration, tests markets with minimal investment, and scales infrastructure without architectural changes. The platform empowers rather than constrains, capturing opportunities as markets create them.