Aussie startup’s NFC tech makes touching a marketing opportunity

People like to touch things they are intrigued by. The smooth curve of a surfboard. The soft fabric in a well-made shirt.

Tapit, an Australian startup that just pulled in $2.3 million in its first institutional round of funding, is turning that need-to-touch into a marketing opportunity. The company makes chips that can be placed on physical objects like outdoor ads, retail shelves and windows, product packaging, public transportation, tourist information points, etc.

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Once tapped with an NFC-enabled phone, these chips open up a world of content that matches that tag. Content is brand specific, and could be a brochure, a coupon, a link to social media network or app download center, or a competition entry form.

Many mobile phones these days have NFC capabilities, and Tapit seeks to capitalize on this trend by providing customer engagement opportunities to advertisers. The platform collects consumer data as well, and offers it clients analytic reports on their behavior. Clients include Microsoft, Samsung, Johnson & Johnson, Coca Cola, and Virgin Mobile.

This Series A round was led by Monash Private Capital, an investment firm based in Sydney. The money will expand Tapit’s presence around the world. Read the press release.