The FPC Podcast Episode 27: Q&A with Harry Maitland, Founder & CEO of Vendi Tech
Feb 13, 2026
Harry Maitland, founder and CEO of Vendi Tech, builds smart vending units that blend hardware, software and retail media. He talks about turning vending into digital ad and first‑party data infrastructure. Conversations cover gym sampling, venue partnerships, scaling to thousands of machines, and how interactive screens and attribution close the loop between awareness and real‑world conversion.
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Started By Testing A Single Machine
- Harry started by buying a machine from China and testing it in a nightclub to see what happened.
- That experiment evolved into a business that ties logistics, vending and advertising together.
Targeted Sampling Closes Attribution
- Vendi focuses on targeted sampling in high-intent locations like gyms to improve conversion and enable remarketing.
- Sampling plus data capture creates measurable downstream sales opportunities brands lack with traditional sampling.
Scale Enables Brand Partnerships
- Vendi had ~300 machines across nightlife, hospitality and leisure and aims for 1,000+ in 2–3 years.
- Reaching critical mass unlocks scalable brand partnerships and higher ad revenue.