Bella Trang Ngo is a proud immigrant founder from Vietnam who has been recognised and sponsored by the Royal Academy of Engineering for her innovative work. As the founder of Brarista, she is on a mission to revolutionise breast health and reduce retail returns by bringing the expertise of professional bra-fitters into the digital age.
Brarista is a tech company that blends human expertise with artificial intelligence. Its core innovation is a patent-pending, sight-based AI technology that allows customers to get a professional bra fitting simply by using their mobile phone camera. This technology, built on dedicated breast-focused datasets from the company’s research and development efforts since 2020, addresses the significant issue of ill-fitting bras, a problem that affects both comfort and breast health. By providing accessible and accurate fittings, Brarista empowers customers with knowledge and confidence, while helping retailers significantly reduce costly returns.
A certified bra-fitter herself, Bella realised this valuable expertise was largely limited to specialist boutiques. She set out to bridge this gap by combining her expert knowledge with cutting-edge AI technology, making a perfect fit accessible to everyone from the comfort of their home.
Brarista’s AI-powered platform is a game-changer for lingerie retailers. It offers a seamless, private, and accurate online fitting solution that integrates directly into e-commerce sites using the retailers chat bot. The technology uses a few photos of the upper body while dressed, and is built on a proprietary database of over 15,000 “confirmed fit records.” This allows it to go beyond simple measurements to account for breast shape, lifestyle requirements, and brand-specific sizing, providing a truly personalised shopping experience.
Bella’s personal journey is a testament to her advocacy for diversity in the tech sector. Having studied economics and business at university with no background in coding, she proves that a technical career is achievable for non-tech professionals, and females can be successful in a male dominated industry. Her experience as a Vietnamese person building a startup in the UK, coupled with her diagnosis of ADHD, has shaped her vision for a more inclusive and accepting work environment. She believes in fostering high-performing teams that embrace different backgrounds and neurodiversity.
The company’s core values: Empathy First, Innovation-Obsessed, Transparency & Trust, and Human by Design, ensure that its technology remains centred on the user. This human-first approach has already yielded impressive results for their retail partners as it has seamless integration into e-commerce sites and the operational efficiencies gained through the retailers AI chatbot. Brarists is currently working with the likes of including LittleWomen and BRABAR, with the company’s solutions proven to:
- Reduce Returns: Guiding shoppers to the right size and style the first time, Brarista’s technology decreases lingerie returns by up to 85%.
- Increase Sales & Loyalty: By eliminating sizing guesswork and providing a personalized shopping journey, the platform helps brands increase customer engagement and conversion rates.
- Enhance Operational Efficiency: The AI chatbot can handle repetitive sizing questions, leading to a significant reduction in operational costs for retailers.
With its participation in accelerator programs like WeDareLab and a commitment to championing body diversity, Brarista is dedicated to improving customer confidence, reducing the environmental and financial costs of returns, and building lasting loyalty for its partner brands.