Peiso start-up secures national clients and entry into UQ’s accelerator program

Software developed locally to steer hospitality businesses towards profitability is gaining national attention, and is poised for global expansion. Read the success story.

Peiso founder and managing director Ivan Brewer at the Rockpool Pavilion. Picture: Evan Morgan

Software created by a Townsville business start-up to boost the profits of hospitality operations is attracting national attention and is poised for a global expansion on the back of an exclusive university accelerator program.

Drawing from 30 years experience in hospitality, Ivan Brewer developed Peiso Profitability Solution, which is a “sense maker” and a “profit compass” to help restaurants, cafes, clubs and pubs to better control purchasing and labour, tracking in real-time to boost their bottom line.

After winning Smart Precinct NQ’s Start-up Onramp entrepreneur of the year in 2021, Mr Brewer has worked hard encouraging hospitality businesses to embrace the technology, landing big clients like The Lucas Group, Belles Hot Chicken, and venues in Hobart’s In The Hanging Garden, and New Zealand.

“We’ve had 20 venues come under Peiso in the last month. It’s very humbling to be embraced by a group of the significance of Lucas group, (who) work with the best technologies in the country,” Mr Brewer said.

“Our mission and our purpose is to drive the profitability of the hospitality industry, and that’s more pertinent now than ever with the high cost of living, costs and the wages.

Startup Onramp Entrepreneur of the Year Ivan Brewer, PEISO

“It’s very difficult to be successful in hospitality. We average about a $100,000 increase in profit from venues that use Peiso.”

He said it was a very interesting time to be in hospitality as it made the paradigm shift from using point of sales with bulky servers towards the cloud, where Peiso thrived.

“The hospitality industry is in the process of moving that way so it’s probably one of the most exciting times in the last 30-40 years in hospitality technology,” he said.

“This is a technology that is cutting edge, and it’s changing the lives of hospitality users around the country right now … it’s making a profound impact.”

The next stage in Peiso’s global domination began earlier this month at the University of Queensland when Mr Brewer joined its “longest running and most esteemed” momentum accelerator program, which was previously restricted to UQ alumni.

“Not only are we going to learn a great deal from the very best in the industry, but we’ll be exposed to and have direct access to venture capitalists as part of the process and afterwards,” he said.

“Our goal would be to raise some money on the other side of that (which) would fuel our national and then global expansion.”

Mr Brewer is offering North Queensland’s hospitality operators a “strong discount” to jump on the Peiso bandwagon.

For more information, visit: peiso.com.au

Originally published as Peiso start-up secures national clients and entry into UQ’s accelerator program