Blackbird Labs, a blockchain-based payments and loyalty app, has raised $50 million to expand its platform for restaurants, now including 1,000+ venues, with plans to launch a cross-restaurant loyalty points program called Blackbird Club later this year. CEO Ben Leventhal, known for founding Resy and Eater, emphasized blockchain’s role in enabling customer-owned profiles and restaurant equity participation despite acknowledging that blockchain isn’t strictly necessary for the model. Strategic backers like Coinbase Ventures, Amex Ventures, and a16z see the platform as a way to boost restaurant profitability and reduce reliance on high-fee intermediaries.
Blackbird Gobbles Up $50M for Its Blockchain-Based Payment-Loyalty App for Restaurants
