Epos Now CEO Jacyn Heavens Showcases Company’s Growth and Innovations
Epos Now, a premier AI-driven point-of-sale platform servicing over 70,000 retail and hospitality SMBs, recently featured in the London Stock Exchange’s “Be Inspired” series.
In an engaging interview with Charlie Walker, Deputy CEO of the London Stock Exchange, CEO and founder Jacyn Heavens detailed Epos Now’s impressive journey, groundbreaking technology, and substantial influence on the global retail and hospitality sectors.
The “Be Inspired” series celebrates innovative private and public companies that fuel growth and champion entrepreneurship. Jacyn Heavens first met Neil Shah, Head of Tech for Primary Markets at the London Stock Exchange, in December 2020, marking the beginning of Epos Now’s spotlight in this prestigious forum.
Shah reflected, “From our very first meeting, it was clear that Jacyn and Epos Now were on an extraordinary trajectory. Their story exemplifies what determination and innovative thinking can achieve. Attaining unicorn status through bootstrapped and organic growth is rare, especially in the UK, and serves as an inspiring model for other founders and small businesses.”
In his interview, Jacyn Heavens shared Epos Now’s origin story, emphasizing the company’s mission to support entrepreneurs and address the numerous challenges they face. “Every one of our customers starts the same way—they have a dream. They risk everything to start their business, and our mission is to help them bridge the knowledge gap and thrive,” Heavens stated.
Epos Now has democratized access to advanced business management tools through cloud technology, catering to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This approach has allowed the company to serve a previously overlooked market segment, enabling SMEs to flourish.
A testament to its innovative drive, Epos Now has developed an embedded finance engine that offers financial products directly to merchants. This includes instant lending decisions, bank accounts, and credit facilities, breaking traditional banking barriers and facilitating business growth. Heavens elaborated, “We built an embedded finance engine to give our customers access to financial products, making lending decisions and offering bank accounts and credit facilities instantly.”
Additionally, Epos Now leverages AI through its Sidekick platform to optimize merchant operations. Heavens explained, “We’ve been using AI technology to identify and address customer pain points. Simple solutions like resolving price discrepancies can significantly impact business efficiency. With over $30 billion in transactions, our technology helps eliminate inefficiencies and drives success.”
Epos Now’s reach extends across 70,000+ locations in 11 countries, supporting diverse merchants from restaurants and retailers to gyms and car repair shops. The company has surpassed $100 million in revenue and handles $30 billion in transactional value, marking significant financial milestones.
Heavens praised the UK’s supportive business environment, stating, “The UK has undergone significant reforms to help companies start, grow, and scale locally before expanding globally. This environment has been brilliant for us. We’ve grown our headquarters in Norwich and expanded internationally.”
Looking forward, Epos Now aims to further leverage AI to enhance business operations for its merchants and continue bridging the knowledge gap for entrepreneurs. Heavens expressed enthusiasm for the future, emphasizing the company’s commitment to supporting more businesses and exploring new markets. “We’re still laser-focused on solving that problem. The only difference now is we’ve got the technology to do it. It’s so exciting!” Heavens remarked.
