By John Clancy, Founder & CEO, Galvia
We created our AI Adoption Accelerator for one reason:
Because retailers don’t need more AI hype — they need real, practical guidance on how to make AI work for them.
That belief was front and centre again last week at the Pro Manchester Retail Lunch in Manchester, hosted by brand protection specialist, Hanna Tiyamiyu from HGF. I had the privilege of joining a fantastic panel of retail leaders, including Bethan Watts from SEPHORA.
What I heard throughout the session only strengthened my conviction:
Retail is changing fast. AI will play a critical role. But only if it’s applied intentionally and strategically.
Retailers are facing complex, interlinked challenges: economic pressure, rising customer expectations, and the need for better operational decisions. AI can absolutely help with all of these, but only if it solves real problems. That’s what our AI Adoption Accelerator is designed to do, and I’m proud to say we’re bringing it to Manchester on September 18th.
AI in Action for Retail: The Petstop Story
One of the clearest examples of AI adoption in action comes from Petstop, Ireland’s largest Irish-owned pet retailer.
Using Galvia’s AI-powered platform, Petstop created a single, connected view of their data, breaking down internal silos and enabling faster, smarter decisions across every level of the organisation. With intelligent prompts, real-time predictions, and clear insights, their teams began acting with greater confidence and agility, from head office to the shop floor.
But the real value went beyond efficiency.
“Having Galvia as our AI business partner is prompting us not just to drive revenue, but to understand the data better,” says Declan Gallagher, Head of Strategy & Finance at Petstop.
“It’s helping us understand our customers — how we communicate with them, what their buying patterns are, even how we merchandise our stores. Galvia is prompting us to rethink how we lay things out, improve service, and ultimately drive the business forward.”
A Practical, No-Hype Approach to AI Adoption
We understand the very real challenges retailers face every day:
- Fragmented systems that don’t talk to each other
- Reactive decision-making based on gut feel rather than insight
- Untapped data sitting in silos, underused or misunderstood
- Missed revenue opportunities because teams can’t see the full picture
That’s why we built the AI Adoption Accelerator to be practical, focused, and easy to engage with, whether you’re technical or not. Over five weeks, we guide you through hands-on data discovery, explore real-world AI use cases, and provide 1:1 technical sessions to help map your data to real business outcomes. You’ll also get legal guidance from Addleshaw Goddard on AI compliance, and finish with a personalised next-steps plan. It’s a hybrid format — part in-person at TIC Manchester, part online — with all discussions covered under NDA so you can talk openly about your data and goals. We kick off on September 18th, and by the end, you’ll know exactly where AI can make a difference in your business.
Hear It from the Retailers Themselves
Some of Ireland’s most established brands have already seen the value:
“It was an excellent experience. I would recommend this program to anyone looking to explore AI solutions tailored to their specific needs.”
— Conor Fitzsimons, Woodies DIY
“What I got most from the Accelerator was understanding that AI is a journey, not a quick fix. The real value comes when you use it to uncover deep patterns and insights hidden in your data. But to get there, your data has to be right.”
— Ian McSweeney, Windward Group
Join Us in Manchester
If you’re a retailer in the UK looking to start or accelerate your AI journey, our next AI Adoption Accelerator kicks off on September 18th in Manchester. There are still a few spots left so don’t hesitate to secure yours!
We’ll help you move from curiosity to capability and show you how AI can deliver real business impact, not in theory, but in practice.
Let’s move forward — smarter, faster, and together.🚀 Secure your spot
