A quantum leap in fuel and convenience retail
We're rewriting the rules of point-of-sale technology—AI-native, hardware-agnostic, and designed specifically for fuel and convenience operations.
Our Story
Tote was founded by retail tech leaders frustrated by outdated systems in convenience retail.
We saw an industry stuck with legacy infrastructure that couldn't keep pace with modern business needs—especially the unique challenges of connecting forecourt and in-store operations.
Our founder, Shyam Rao, has deep experience building enterprise solutions for large retailers, creating platforms that serve over 200 million consumers. We're bringing that same innovation to fuel and convenience retail.
Our Mission
To revolutionize fuel and convenience retail through AI native point-of-sale that unifies loyalty, marketing, operations, and associate support—driving higher revenue per visit and enabling our "one customer, one cart" experiences from forecourt to checkout.
We're not just patching legacy problems—we're unlocking the full potential of retail technology through modern innovation for fuel and convenience operations.
Leadership Team
Shyam Rao
Founder and CEO
Co-founder and former CEO of Punchh, an AI-powered customer engagement platform serving nearly 350 global enterprise brands before being acquired in 2021 for over $500M.
Justin Laing
CTO
Co-founder and former CTO of MerchantOS, a cloud-based POS platform serving thousands of stores before its acquisition by Lightspeed in 2013, forming the backbone of Lightspeed's cloud POS offering.
Proven Execution Talent
Our global team brings proven execution talent in areas such as fuel/c-store operations, loyalty & CRM, AI & payments, and enterprise retail technology. The team has extensive expertise in:
Fuel & Convenience Retail
Deep operational knowledge of forecourt integration, high-turnover workforce management, and c-store specific challenges
Enterprise Retail Technology
Experience building and scaling solutions deployed at major retailers like YUM! Brands, Casey's, RaceTrac, and Papa John's
AI & Machine Learning
Leading edge knowledge in retail-specific AI applications, multi-modal systems, and intelligent automation
Loyalty & Customer Engagement
Expertise from companies like Punchh and Uber in creating platforms that drive customer retention and revenue growth
Payments & Financial Systems
Deep experience with payment processing, PCI compliance, and financial technology from leaders at Visa and other fintech companies
Our DNA
At our core, we are a product and engineering company. We practice engineering excellence even when moving fast, focusing on great talent and empowering them to do their best work.
.svg){kind=icon}
Never be a blocker to our customers' innovation - unlike vendors who are inflexible and charge for small changes
.svg){kind=icon}
Great software comes through empathy and understanding of our customers and their business needs
Focus on great talent and empower them to do their best work every day
Our Investors & Advisors
Tote has raised significant capital from leading Silicon Valley venture capital firms and prominent technology and convenience store executives.
Ready to transform your fuel and convenience operations?
See how point-of-sale AI can drive higher revenue per visit and boost associate productivity. Reach out to our team for a demo tailored to your operations.
