TUBR, a Sheffield-based artificial intelligence and predictive analytics startup, is launching commercial trials of its TUBR Pulse analytics platform in Phoenix, Arizona, following participation in a trade program facilitated by the Arizona Commerce Authority. The expansion marks TUBR’s first entry into the United States market and represents a direct outcome of the ACA’s mission to drive business development and connect innovative companies with Arizona’s thriving economy.
Founded in Sheffield, England, TUBR has developed a physics-based approach to predictive analytics that enables small and medium-sized hospitality businesses — cafes, restaurants, hotels — to forecast demand accurately even when their data history is limited. The technology is embedded within point-of-sale platforms including Shift4, putting enterprise-grade intelligence within reach of independent operators.
The Arizona Commerce Authority works to attract, retain, and grow businesses in Arizona, supporting companies across advanced industries innovation. Arizona’s supportive business climate and rapidly expanding manufacturing sector have helped establish the state as a global hub for technology and innovation. The ACA’s trade program provided TUBR with access to the Phoenix market, introductions to local business networks, and the framework to establish early commercial relationships in the city.
“Sheffield has always been a city that makes things, and TUBR is very much a product of that culture — built on rigorous science, designed to solve a real problem,” said Dash Tabor, Founder and CEO of TUBR. “The Arizona Commerce Authority opened a door we couldn’t have opened as quickly on our own. Phoenix is a city that backs ambition, and we’ve found real appetite there for a tool that helps independent hospitality operators compete on insight, not just instinct. This is the beginning of something significant for TUBR in the US.”
“In December, we were proud to host a delegation of promising AI companies from Sheffield, England — and just three months later, TUBR is already launching in Arizona,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “We’re excited to welcome TUBR to our ecosystem and look forward to supporting their continued growth.”
A critical enabler of TUBR’s Phoenix trials has been Downtown Phoenix Inc, the organization dedicated to facilitating collaboration, cultivating connections, and contributing to the growth and vitality of Downtown Phoenix’s community. Downtown Phoenix Inc played an active role in promoting TUBR’s trial program and connecting the company directly with venues across the city that were interested in participating — providing the on-the-ground relationships that allowed TUBR to move from market entry to live trials at speed.
“One of Downtown Phoenix Inc.’s main roles is connecting local businesses with opportunities that help them grow and adapt,” said Braxton Hynes, Economic Development Manager at Downtown Phoenix Inc. “With nearly 80% of Downtown’s businesses locally owned and operated, small businesses are the backbone of our economy and are constantly responding to changing demand driven by major events, sports, conventions, and new residents and employers moving Downtown. Tools like TUBR Pulse can provide clearer insights into customer trends and help them plan staffing, inventory, and service with greater confidence.”
TUBR Pulse works by integrating with a business’s existing point-of-sale system to surface forward-looking demand forecasts and operational recommendations. Rather than presenting data through dashboards or charts, Pulse delivers insights as plain-language guidance — making it usable by front-of-house managers and owners without requiring data skills. Features include rolling demand averages, weather and event correlations, and staffing and inventory recommendations calibrated to predicted footfall.
The US expansion follows a period of significant growth for TUBR in the UK, where the company has built partnerships with major POS platforms and is working with hospitality businesses across the country. The company is currently raising a seed investment round to accelerate both its UK operations and US market entry.
