Business development consultancy Blueprint has acquired a stake in Stockholm-based artificial intelligence specialist Indivd, marking an important step in its strategy to transform the future of airport shopping.
The partnership underscores Blueprint’s vision of an AI-enabled retail ecosystem where airport commerce shifts from transactional to predictive, hyper-personalised and experience-led by 2030.
Blueprint Partner Karl Walter said, “By uniting Blueprint’s strategic foresight with Indivd’s patented and GDPR-compliant AI technology, we have implemented a powerful capability: tracking and predicting shopping behaviour and turning findings into actionable recommendations for airports, retailers and brands.
“The best part is that this set-up is easy-to-use, cheap to run and comes with the highest degree of accuracy.”
Blueprint Partner Thomas Kaneko-Henningsen added: “By 2030, the competitive divide in airport retail will be between those hubs that leverage AI to monetise shopping in progressive ways and those that don’t. Together with Indivd, we deliver unique value in terms of advising the airport community on how to engage with travelling customers.”
The move taps into the expanding global AI market, projected to reach US$1.81 trillion by 2030, with McKinsey estimating that AI could generate between US$400 billion and US$660 billion annually for retail and consumer goods companies.
Forbes reported that 51% of global shoppers now use AI for price checks, 45% for product inquiries and 41% for budget shopping.
Tracking airport shopping behaviour
Established in 2017, Indivd has developed a patented AI platform that transforms standard 2D camera systems in terminals and stores into advanced, privacy-first solutions for tracking footfall and analysing visitor behaviour.
Indivd’s platform delivers deep, real-time insight into shopper behaviour in airport terminals, anonymising individuals while accurately tracking how they move, pause and engage across the environment.
The technology has been adopted by more than 50 retailers across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the United States, valued for its scalability, cost efficiency, 99.11% accuracy and full GDPR compliance. It is also set for its debut in airport settings.
Predictive insights
Beyond tracking movement, Indivd’s AI platform interprets intent, learning from anonymised behavioural patterns to anticipate when and how travellers are most likely to shop, explore, or pause during their airport journey.
The platform gradually develops predictive insights into traveller behaviour, revealing purchase tendencies, the conversion value of dwell time and the effects of layout or category shifts on consumer choices.
This investment reflects Blueprint and Indivd’s shared vision for airport retail, leveraging AI precision alongside human insight to understand traveller behaviour.
This collaboration aims to advance the travel retail sector beyond mere transactional data to uncover the real drivers of shopper engagement.
Indivd Chief Product Owner Fredrik Amréus Hammargården said, “Blueprint brings strategic strength, industry insight and market access.
“Their deep understanding of airport dynamics, retail evolution and the traveller mindset will help us accelerate our expansion into airports worldwide. Together, we’re building the foundation for the next era of AI-driven airport intelligence.”
Driving smarter retail together
The partnership brings together Indivd’s AI expertise and Blueprint’s airport strategy to develop data-driven environments that enhance passenger experience and commercial results.
In-terminal wayfinding: Improving how travellers navigate airside/landside terminals.
In-terminal space management: Optimising space allocation for retail, F&B, duty free, pop-ups, experiential retail zones, lounges, etc.
In-store category management: Optimising space allocation between brands and product categories.
Enhanced store performance: Real-time insights into how in-store retail zones are performing.
Analysing rent level: Adjusting rent per store unit according to turnover, footfall, bounce rates, dwell time, etc.
Future-proofing shopping behaviour: Predicting shopping behaviour based on historical data.
Blueprint Partner Sonja Soskic added, “Leveraging Blueprint’s and Indivd’s combined capabilities enables the dynamic adaptation of airport retail layouts and designing customer experiences that align with traveller moods and motivations.
“Ultimately, this means transforming airports into intelligent marketplaces catering to experience-hungry travellers.” ✈
