# Fivestars by SumUp

> Fivestars by SumUp combines customer rewards, automated marketing and payments for local merchants. Founded in 2011 by Victor Ho and Matt Doka, it was acquired by SumUp for $317 million in cash and stock in 2021. Its merchant offering is now branded SumUp Connect, while the Fivestars consumer app lets shoppers discover businesses and track store rewards.

- **Founded:** 2011
- **Headquarters:** San Francisco, United States
- **Founders:** Victor Ho (Co-founder and CEO at acquisition), Matt Doka (Co-founder and CTO)
- **Products:** SumUp Connect, AutoPilot, Fivestars Pay, Fivestars consumer app, Network Matching
- **Notable:** Acquired by SumUp for $317 million in cash and stock in 2021., More than 12,000 merchants and 65 million consumer members reported by SumUp at acquisition close., SumUp reported the network drove more than $3 billion in merchant sales and 100 million transactions annually in 2021. These are not Fivestars revenue.

## Products & services

- **SumUp Connect** — Current merchant brand for loyalty rewards, customer acquisition, customer database, automated marketing and promotions.
- **AutoPilot** — Triggered customer outreach for birthdays, first visits and customers who have not returned, using supported messaging channels.
- **Fivestars Pay** — Integrated payment and loyalty terminal; alpha hardware is documented in 2018 and commercial launch in 2019.
- **Fivestars consumer app** — Phone-number sign-in, local business discovery, points tracking and reward notifications.
- **Network Matching** — Cross-promotion through participating nearby merchants and the Fivestars network.

## Achievements

- Acquired by SumUp for $317 million in cash and stock in 2021.
- More than 12,000 merchants and 65 million consumer members reported by SumUp at acquisition close.
- SumUp reported the network drove more than $3 billion in merchant sales and 100 million transactions annually in 2021. These are not Fivestars revenue.
- Graduated from Y Combinator Winter 2011.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — Research observation: SumUp markets the merchant offering as SumUp Connect, with standalone Plus/Pro and separate POS bundle pricing. This is an observation date, not a launch announcement.
- **2021-11** — SumUp announced completion of the acquisition, which closed October 28, 2021.

## Links

- Website: https://www.fivestars.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fivestars/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Fivestars
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FivestarsCard

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/fivestars-by-sumup
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-25