At GK, we are proud to be shaping the digital future of retail. Since joining the Fujitsu Group in May 2025, we have been combining our powerful suite of retail commerce applications with Fujitsu’s global technology expertise to create new value for retailers worldwide. This collaboration is already bearing fruit, most recently through our first joint hackathon.
On November 20–21, we hosted the Fujitsu x GK Hackathon, a two-day innovation sprint designed to explore new solutions using our API-driven microservice architecture and GK CLOUD4RETAIL in the Fujitsu Uvance Innovation Studio. The event brought together 12 talented Fujitsu engineers, supported by GK experts, to prototype ideas that go beyond traditional POS systems and tackle real-world retail challenges.
Inspiring Ideas Born in Just Two Days
The hackathon showcased the creativity and technical skill of participants, who developed demos addressing diverse use cases:
Zero Forgotten Purchases with Smart Notifications
Real-time API integration between shopping lists, product catalogs, and checkout data ensured customers never left the store without their intended purchases, boosting satisfaction and maximizing sales opportunities.
Sales Promotion Strategy Leveraging Inventory
By linking inventory data with promotion functions, participants created mechanisms to trigger immediate offers for overstocked items, helping to clear excess inventory and maintain profitability.
Personalized Recommendations with CLOUD4RETAIL
During the hackathon, participants were able to leverage app enablement to listen to POS events, and link item recommendations based on similarity, ‘goes with’, past purchases, and other data. In a visually appealing way to enable a store assistant to offer better service on the aisle and increase basket value.
Other ideas included mobile monitoring of endcap display sales and smoother checkout experiences through QR code payments leveraged by app enablement.
Fujitsu x GK Hackathon participants & judges
GK’s Role in the Jury
The hackathon concluded with a results presentation judged by a panel of experts, including Fujitsu’s Executive Officer Yoshiko Furuhama and Head of Consumer Experience Business Unit Shinichi Miyata. Representatives of GK were Orit Bar-Ad, Chief Innovation Evangelist, Andreas Spielberg, Global Head of Consulting & Operations, Marc Schröter, Senior Manager Sales APAC.
The jury evaluated the prototypes and shared insights on how these ideas could evolve into solutions that transform retail operations.
Reflecting on the event, Orit Bar-Ad shared, “We were very impressed by the results. Participants creativity, retail-relevant use-cases, and technical depth shown in just two days highlight the enormous potential of our joint innovation efforts. It also demonstrated how easy it is to create on top of the platform - we even had a team using AI co-coding tools to create their app. We will certainly continue with additional events to drive the future of retail together.”
Evaluation Panel by Fujitsu's Corporate Executive Officer Yoshiko Furuhama and Head of Consumer Experience Business Unit Shinichi Miyata, GK Software SE's Orit Bar-Ad (Chief Innovation Evangelist), Andreas Spielberg (Global Head of Consulting & Operations), and Marc Schroeter (Senior Manager Sales APAC)
Looking Ahead: Co-Creation with Customers
This hackathon was only the beginning. Our next step is to invite customers to join us in co-creation sessions, tackling real-world challenges directly and developing solutions powered by GK’s unified commerce platform, GK CLOUD4RETAIL. By working hand-in-hand with retailers, we aim to deliver innovations that are flexible, fast, and impactful.
Meet GK x Fujitsu at NRF 2026
GK and Fujitsu will jointly exhibit at NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show in New York this January. Visitors to the booth will experience firsthand how we are pioneering next-generation store operations, evolving customer experiences, and enabling sustainable retail management. Register now and schedule your appointment: https://www.gk-software.com/us/meet-gk/events-tradeshows/nrf-america
