Retail veteran Jose M. Barra joins AI startup Gain as advisor

Gain emerged from stealth last year following a $12 million seed funding round led by The Garage, with additional backing from BlueRed Partners and Bazan Group. The company’s platform aims to automate the entire procurement lifecycle—from merchandising strategy and sourcing to contract execution and transaction processing. By moving away from traditional SaaS pay-per-seat models toward a pay-per-outcome structure, the startup hopes to accelerate adoption among large-scale retailers.

Michael Gabay, who previously served as president of autonomous store specialist Trigo, frames the technology as a sophisticated layer that handles uncertainty better than basic automation. Current pilots include collaborations with Bazan Group and Tempo Beer Industries, where AI agents like "Natalie" and "Bob" are being integrated into existing teams. The latest capital injection is earmarked for R&D expansion and scaling business operations across the United States and Europe.