Plug and Play invests in Smartup, a distribution platform from Uzbekistan

Plug and Play, a US venture fund from Silicon Valley, has invested in Smartup, a company from Uzbekistan that builds software for distribution management.

Plug and Play is one of the world's most active early-stage investors. Founded in 2006, it has made over 2,400 investments and backed more than 40 unicorns, including PayPal, Dropbox, and N26. The firm has offices in more than 60 cities and partners with over 500 global corporations.

Smartup provides a platform for sales force automation (SFA) that helps manage the distribution chain from sales representatives to store shelves. The company serves 800+ client companies with 28,000+ licenses and users across 11 countries. In Central Asia, Smartup holds an estimated 30% share of the SFA market and has been operating for 15 years.

With this investment, Smartup plans to enhance its product with artificial intelligence, including shelf recognition, sales conversation analysis, and machine learning for route and shipment optimization. The company also intends to expand its presence in Central Asia and enter the MENA region.